Didn't pay your TV License?

Don't be embarrassed if you meet me.

Three times in a span of 40 minutes I heard ads on RTE radio about the dangers of not paying your television license. These ads carry both a soft and a hard message. The soft message is that anyone who is convicted for not paying their television license fee should be embarrassed and brings shame on themselves and all who are connected with them. The hard message is that failure to comply will result in a court appearance and a stiff fine.

Conviction for non-payment of a television licence (first offence) is a fine of €634.

If you are convicted a second time for not paying your television licence, you will be fined €1,269 and your television and signal equipment will be confiscated.

Well, I can't help you with the court appearance and the fine (or loss of equipment), but really, I won't bat an eye if you tell me you were busted for this offense. In fact, if you refused to pay the license fee because you're sick of funding RTE's political agenda, I'll give you a pat on the back.

{Full disclosure: On the 25th of February I angrily, but meekly, handed over €152 to pay for my license for another year.}