Catherine Martin has said she will not be advising people when it comes to whether people should pay their tv licence or not in the wake of the RTE spending scandal.
Ms Martin suggested it was up to themselves to make their own decision and that she would not be “advising” them.
She also said that she would be talking to Public Expenditure Minister, Paschal Donohoe, about the funding future for RTE ahead of the Budget in October.
The Media Minister was responding to a question from the Irish Mirror asking her what she would say to the many people who are disgusted with RTE and won’t be paying their licence fee when it comes up for renewal this year.
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Ms Martin said: “I’m not going to advise anyone, what I am saying is we must remember the good public service broadcasting, we must remember the staff, when people are making these decisions, the staff who are hurting, the staff who have been betrayed, the staff who need RTE, it is their job of work and provide that service.
“And they should not be forgotten at times like this when decisions are being made.
Ms Martin did not encourage anyone not to pay their licence.
A spokesman for Ms Martin later clarified that Ms Martin will definitely be paying her TV licence when it needs to be renewed.
He stressed that the Media Minister “values and appreciates the great work for public broadcasting” that RTE provides.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was far more forthright on the issue, saying people should, that he will pay his again, as he has always done.
He said: “I will certainly be paying my TV licence, I always have and will continue to do so.
“And not just because it’s the law, but also because it supports public service broadcasting.
“It funds a lot of the news that we watch, it funds a lot of the sport that we watch.
“It funds Irish language programming, it funds documentaries and Irish drama.
“I can understand people’s frustration, but I don’t want to impose some sort of collective punishment on everyone who works in RTE, everyone who works for RTE and the whole wider sector and industry.
“That’s why I’m going to continue to pay up.”
Green party leader, Eamon Ryan, urged people to keep paying the licence, he said: “I would encourage every household to pay because it’s important.
“Ireland has been a very successful public service broadcaster for the people of this country.”
