Editorial: Trust in public broadcaster is badly damaged - Kilkenny Live

Anti-social behaviour on High Street and around the city centre involving a small group of youths needs to be tackled head on.

This newspaper highlighted the issue on its front page last month after the matter was raised at a Joint Policing Committee.
The matter is somewhat complex as the youths involved are children and because of this, they seldom face the same rigours of the law. However, maybe now is the time that the powers that be speak to the parents and guardians of these young people.

Their thuggish behaviour has to be brought to an end. Retailers are sick and tired of these youngsters racing in and out of their premises, causing stress and aggravation.

Now, to the absolute bafflement of tourists, they are speeding up and down the city’s pavements creating a safety hazard for pedestrians.

We pride ourselves as being an Age Friendly City but these sort of reckless antics are causing havoc for people going about their daily business and bewildered visitors who are literally stopped in their tracks. This needs to stop now.

RTE PAYMENTS
The RTE secret payments scandal has badly shaken public trust in the national broadcaster.

A full review of how it all came to this is under way. Whatever arises from that, there is a growing school of thought that the TV licence funding model is no longer fit-for-purpose, and it is time to urgently review it.

People can feel rightly aggrieved at having to hand over their €160 given how some of it is being spent. RTE is relentless in pursuing those who tarry in forking over the funds, with the threat of fines and court appearances hammered home.

In some cases, those who have to pay may ultimately watch very little or no RTE programming, but have to cough up the cash either way. If they aren’t happy with the quality of what’s being broadcast, there’s little they can do.

Root and branch reform is the only way forward.