Want To Watch Telly On Your Laptop? It’ll Cost You!

If you love catching a sneaky episode of your favourite show on your laptop, you might want to listen up because according to reports today every house in Ireland will have to pay a new “broadcasting charge” – even if they don’t own a television.

The Irish Independent reports that the move was planned to take account of the fact that many Irish households now watch RTE and TG4 shows on their laptops and smartphones and don’t need to own a television or pay a licence to do so.

Pat Rabbitte, the Minister for Communications, confirmed in the Dáil that it was his intention to get every single household to pay the new broadcasting charge, even if they didn’t own a “device.”

“In short, everyone benefits from the availability of these services, regardless of how content is accessed or relayed to the public and, therefore, it is my view that the cost should be borne by society as a hole,” said Mr Rabbitte.

Everyone will have to pay up under the new broadcasting charge scheme

According to RTE, up to 15 per cent of Irish households don’t pay the TV licence fee despite the fact that 99 per cent of homes have a television set.

Mr Rabbitte said that an independent group was currently carrying out a review on the proposed broadcasting charge and it will make recommendations on the best way to collect it.

Speaking in the Dáil, the Minister did not state when the charge would be introduced although according to reports, it is not expected to be any higher than the current TV licence fee of €160 per year.