Chai Brady
Senator Rónán Mullen has said he will not pay his TV license, accusing RTÉ of failing to ensure impartiality and a “corruption of public service broadcasting in Ireland through the manipulation of public opinion”.
Senator Mullen took to social media last week criticising a discussion on RTÉ Radio 1’s Oliver Callan show about the first Pride march in Roscommon, where it was mentioned the county was the only one in which the majority voted against the Marriage Equality referendum. He said on X (formerly Twitter): “No TV licence money from me and many others until there’s more respect for diversity of opinions in Irish society.”
Speaking to The Irish Catholic the independent senator elaborated on his statement saying that while paying taxes is a civil and moral duty, “in certain circumstances, the withholding of taxes can be a well-justified expression of civil disobedience, particularly where the specific purpose of the tax or licence withheld is to fund a service that is problematic in important ways”.
“In recent years, we have seen the corruption of public service broadcasting in Ireland through the manipulation of public opinion and the failure of those responsible for the service to ensure standards of impartiality,” he said.
“This has been damaging for our society and has caused harm to people.”
Senator Mullen said that in “such circumstances, where the proper authorities fail to act” citizens are entitled to “take exceptional steps, if their sincere aim is to reform the situation and not just to avoid paying for services which they are receiving”.
Currently a TV licence costs €160 a year for both homes and businesses. A person can be fined up to €1,000 (or €2,000 for subsequent offences) for not having a TV licence.
The senator stressed that since not paying a TV licence can involve a breach of the law “it is not for me to urge people to do so. But those who feel that they can do this, and who are willing to take the consequences, if any, have my support. Some people may choose to opt out of the services being provided and on that basis not to pay a TV licence”.
He called on those who choose not to pay a TV licence for a principled reason to share their decision “as widely as possible” to encourage reforms in RTÉ and in Irish media generally.
Senator Mullen said on X after the August 20 morning show: “The RTÉ celebrities who push their agenda, No. 1: Oliver Callan today on @rte @RTERadio1 @OliverCallanRTE – ‘Roscommon, the county that (‘famously’ or ‘infamously’) said ‘No’ to equal marriage’. No doubt about OC’s [Oliver Callan’s] natural talent but he pushes this particular agenda too much. That wouldn’t make him an oddball in RTÉ though. No TV licence money from me and many others until there’s more respect for diversity of opinions in Irish society.”