RTE And The Licence Fee

Sir, - Mr Bob Collins of RTE has told An Post's chief executive, Mr John Hynes, that one of the main reasons more than one million…

Sir, - Mr Bob Collins of RTE has told An Post's chief executive, Mr John Hynes, that one of the main reasons more than one million people had paid the licence fee last year was that it was "so low" (The Irish Times, February 27th). I would have thought one of the main reasons that people pay their TV licence was that they are law-abiding citizens. In Mr Collins's eyes, if you don't pay the licence fee you are a TV sponger, and if you do pay the licence fee you are a different kind of sponger. I found his statement very insulting to the people of Ireland and I think he should be grateful that a million people have paid up a colossal amount of money for a very mediocre service. - Yours, etc.,

John Hanly, Mullally Grove, Cappamore, Co Limerick