Sinn Féin has “one eye on the election” with today’s motion to abolish the licence fee, according to Deputy Michael Healy Rae.

The Independent TD for Kerry said he was “dubious” of the party’s intentions with local elections and a general election set to take place this year.

The motion, which will be heard in the Dáil later today, seeks to scrap the licence fee funding model for RTÉ in favour of an exchequer-funded model.

It comes as the national broadcaster was dragged into a financial scandal last year over hidden payments made to Ryan Tubridy and other revelations about money mismanagement.

On The Pat Kenny Show today, Deputy Healy Rae said today’s motion was not the solution RTÉ needs.

“I’m dubious of Sinn Féin at the moment because these are the people shouting about housing and at the same time are objecting to a lot of houses,” he said.

“If every house they had objected to had been built, we wouldn’t have any homeless people in Ireland.

“When I hear them saying this coming up to the local elections, I’m a small bit skeptical.”

Funding requirement

Deputy Healy Rae said RTÉ will still have the same funding requirement if the licence fee is scrapped.

“It’s only another way of making the taxpayer pay for it but we have to come about this in the proper way and not in a reactionary or knee-jerk way,” he said.

“They [Sinn Féin] seem to firmly have one eye on the election and maybe that is why they are not thinking through a lot of what they’re saying at the moment.

“That is the real world, it might not be Sinn Féin’s world – but it’s the world of a lot of other people.”

'Trim its fat'

RTÉ will still need to “trim its fat,” regardless of today’s motion, according to the Independent TD.

“There has been an awful lot of mismanagement there,” said Deputy Healy Rae.

“There are an awful lot of questions that need answering and we need to have proper responsibility and proper accounting.

“People don’t mind paying a bill if they feel they’re getting value and there’s no wastage – but at present, nobody can say that about RTÉ.”

Ryan Tubridy with his agent Noel Kelly leaving Leinster House, where he was quizzed on RTÉ pay scandal. 11-07-2023. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Deputy Healy Rae said he hopes there is a future for the broadcaster as it “has done a lot of great things for this nation”.

“We know about all of the mistakes and all of the wrong things, but it has given us brilliant memories and great broadcasters over the years,” he said.

“They’ve given us great programmes over the years, great documentaries and they documented Irish life as it evolved through the decades.

“You’ll always remember iconic Late Late Shows going back to Gay Byrne’s time – we have to be appreciative of that too.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has indicated that Government will not be supporting the motion to abolish the licence fee.

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Main image: Michael Healy-Rae TD on the Plinth at Leinster House, 30-06-2021. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews