Comedian David McSavage told a judge today that he did not pay his TV licence because he had a grievance with the way RTÉ spends taxpayers' money.
The Savage Eye creator was summonsed by An Post to court for not having a TV licence at his address at Kingsland Parade in Dublin 8 on 7 May last year.
In recent media interviews the comedy writer and performer claimed he would not pay the €160 TV licence and was prepared to take a stance and go to jail in protest at the quality of programmes on the national broadcaster.
However, after the hearing at Dublin District Court, he told reporters: "It is one thing saying it, another thing doing it.".
He also said he did not understand what happened during the proceedings in which Judge John O'Neill gave Mr McSavage a chance to pay €115 arrears and avoid a hefty fine along with a court conviction.
Under the Broadcasting Act 2009, it is a prosecutable offence to be found in possession of an unlicensed television set.
Fines for an unlicensed television set can be up to €1,000 for a first offence and €2,000 for subsequent offences.
A TV licence inspector told Judge O'Neill that he called to the entertainer's home on 7 May last and Mr McSavage confirmed he lived there and was in possession of a television set but had no licence.
However, a licence was taken out on 31 March this year leaving arrears of €115, the inspector told the court.
Judge O'Neill told Mr McSavage he now had a licence and asked him his attitude.
Mr McSavage told the court: "The reason I didn't pay it is I have genuine concerns as to the use RTÉ makes of taxpayers' money.
"I have expressed these concerns in other forums and I've been advised to pay the fine."
Judge O'Neill told him his reason was not a justification to which Mr McSavage replied: "Yes."
The judge adjourned the case until 16 June and told Mr McSavage that if the arrears were paid by then he will not have to attend the hearing and the case will be struck out.
However, he also warned him that if they were not paid and he did not attend court to look for more time: "You run the risk of having a conviction recorded and a fine."
After court Mr McSavage told reporters he has not bought a licence and he did not know who had got it for him. "Unless," he added, "Ray D'Arcy bought one for me, he said he would."
In a handwritten prepared statement, Mr McSavage told reporters: "I have refused to pay the TV licence fee because of my genuine concerns regarding RTÉ's use of taxpayers' money.
"If a plumber provided as poor a service as RTÉ, they would go out of business, it makes no sense to pay people money who are bad at their jobs, it does neither of you any good.
"RTÉ needs to stop embarrassing us with their awful output, it needs to reform, modernise and work hard before it can justify the high cost of the TV licence."
In 2009, Mr McSavage wrote and starred in a six-part TV series called The Savage Eye for RTÉ, which was nominated for an IFTA award for Best Entertainment Series and Best Director.
Four series were filmed by RTÉ 2 until 2014. He also appeared in Calvary, starring Brendan Gleeson, as well as Robot Overlords and Channel 4 series Comedy Lab.
The 50-year-old is a son of former politician David Andrews, a brother of former Fianna Fáil politician Barry Andrews and first cousin of RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy, and also a cousin of former Fianna Fail TD Chris Andrews.
