EBU 'Deeply Concerned' by 20 Million Euro Cut to RTÉ's Agreed Funding
The European Broadcasting Union said on 9 October 2026 that it is deeply concerned by the Irish Government's decision to cut the agreed public funding of RTÉ, Ireland's national public service broadcaster, by 20 million euros. In 2024, the Government publicly committed to 725 million euros in public funding for RTÉ over three years, from 2025 to 2027, saying secure, multi-annual funding was essential for RTÉ to carry out its strategy.
The EBU said RTÉ acted on that commitment: it entered into agreements with independent producers and other partners, invested in Irish drama, live sport and digital services, and continued to deliver trusted, independent news and analysis. Withdrawing 20 million euros in the final year, with those commitments already in place, breaks the agreement and leaves RTÉ to fund commitments it made in good faith.
The EBU further stated that the European Media Freedom Act is clear: Article 5 requires member states to guarantee public service media adequate, sustainable and predictable financial resources to fulfil their remit, and funding that can be reopened from one budget to the next is neither predictable nor secure. It also shared TG4's disappointment that the Irish-language broadcaster's funding will not increase in 2027, noting TG4 still has no multi-annual settlement, which limits long-term planning and investment.
Ireland already invests less in public service media than most of Europe: 0.07 percent of GDP in 2025, against an EU average of 0.14 percent, and the EBU said this decision widens that gap. The intervention lands while RTÉ's funding model remains under active debate in Ireland, and the budget decision is expected to draw further discussion in parliament and the media sector.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于都柏林的RTÉ总部一带。照片：James Cridland，CC BY 2.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons（RTÉ in Donnybrook, Dublin.jpg）
