New Measures On The Way To Clamp Down On TV Spongers

A new bill will see the TV licence fee apply to laptops, tablets and other devices that people use to watch programmes. 

13,700 people were taken to court in 2014 for failing to pay the licence, which dropped to just over 11,500 cases in 2017.
 

The Government plans to issue a tender for the contract to collect the licence fee in a bid to crack down on non-payment.
 

The bill being brought by the Communications Minister Richard Bruton will also reduce the levy independent broadcasters have to pay by up to 50 percent.