TV licence fee renewals dropped 25% in the first week of July according to new figures seen by Newstalk. 

Figures released to Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin show 3,428 fewer households renewed their licence fee compared with the same time last year as the controversy around payments to Ryan Tubridy emerged. 

There was also a significant fall off in new licence fee sales, which were down almost 40% on the previous year. 

June saw a more modest decline in total licence fee sales at just over 2%. 

These reduced figures mean a total combined fall of almost €934,000 in licence fee revenue in June and the first week of July. 

'Should and must pay'

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe previously told Newstalk people "should and must pay your TV licence". 

"I believe in the debate that has unfolded, there is a really important concept for guiding the value of public service broadcasting and the need to fund it," he said. 

"We are in an era now of increased polarisation... I believe journalism has a role to play in achieving the right balance." 

'Give us the benefit of the doubt'

New RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst previously told The Hard Shoulder people should “reconsider” not paying their TV licence. 

“Give me and the organisation the benefit of the doubt that we are trying to sort this out and we will sort this out and we will rebuild trust,” he said. 

He said a “device-neutral” fee may be more appropriate in future funding “because a lot of people are not using TVs anymore”. 

“Whether that's a sort of household licence fee... I think there's a number of possibilities,” he said. 

“I think there's not much enthusiasm in Government for the taxation-based [funding].”