Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan to block ‘Netflix levy’ plan
By Cate McCurry, PA
Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan is to bring a memo to cabinet that would seek to block a plan to impose a ‘Netflix levy’ on streamers, saying the public are paying enough to watch entertainment.
Mr O’Donovan was critical of a plan to allow media regulator Comisiun na Mean to impose a content levy.
Under the plan, which had been backed by the previous minister Catherine Martin, the proceeds would be used to fund independent productions in Ireland.
“I’m bringing a memo to government and I await the outcome of discussions with my colleagues around the cabinet table, so I won’t be saying much,” Mr O’Donovan told RTÉ’s The Week In Politics programme.
“I think people that are paying for entertainment, whether it’s the RTE television licence or whether it’s the subscription to Netflix or Disney, quite frankly, are paying enough.
“I don’t see any reason to put a levy on them at the moment and charge them any more, to be quite honest about it.
“It’s done by a lot of countries, and it’s also not done by a lot of countries.”
He also 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.
“I’m going to redress that by way of the Broadcasting Bill.
“People, as I say, are paying enough at the moment, and we are putting 725 million euros into RTE directly from the Exchequer, directly from taxpayers, to keep the doors open,” he added.
“People are being asked to pay their television licence, which has gone through a slump, but thankfully, has recovered.
“I think that that’s sufficient for terrestrial television, and people who can afford to pay for streaming services are doing so by choice, and I don’t see why I would impose a levy on top of those people, considering that it would, I believe, inevitably wind up being raised and raised substantially.
“We would be into a situation where I think 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.”