ARTS MINISTER PATRICK O’Donovan has said people are paying enough for TV and that he does not see “any reason” to impose a planned content levy on streaming services. 

Groundwork on the proposed levy, which would be collected by media regulator Comisiún na Meán, was laid by former Arts Minister Catherine Martin. 

Under current plans, the levy would then be distributed in partnership with Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann) in a bid to fund independent productions in Ireland. It was expected to raise approximately €20m.

The U-turn from Government was first reported by the Irish edition of The Sunday Times today.

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week in Politics programme this afternoon, the Minister confirmed that he will bring a memo on the issue to Cabinet this week. 

“I await the outcome of discussions with my colleagues around the Cabinet table, so I won’t be saying much, other than to say that I think people that are paying for entertainment, whether it’s the RTÉ television license or whether it’s the subscription to Rakuten or Netflix or Disney, quite frankly, are paying enough,” the minister said.

He added: “And I don’t see any reason to put a levy on them at the moment and charge them anymore, to be quite honest about it.”

The minister said introducing the levy would create a situation where people would be “priced out of being allowed to purchase entertainment in their own home”.

“They’re paying enough, as it is. They’re paying tax, it’s keeping RTÉ open. They’re paying their television licence, and they’re paying their subscription fee,” he said.

O’Donovan said he would address a “lacuna” in the law which allows the media regulator to move ahead with its plan without the minister’s approval.