WATCH: Taoiseach says he'll be paying his TV Licence fee and urges others to the same

AN TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar says he intends paying his TV licence fee despite comments from a party colleague that he would rather spend the €160 in his local pub.

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin made his comments on Wednesday when RTÉ executives were before the Oireachtas Media Committee.

"At least I would know where my money went - I would get more cultural content and I'd get more straight talking from people," he told the hearing.

Speaking at an event in County Limerick this Thursday, Mr Varadkar responded to the comments saying he will be paying his TV Licence fee when it's up for renewal.

"I think Brendan was expressing the frustration of a lot of members of the public at the (RTÉ) revelations but what I am saying to people is I'm asking them to continue to pay their TV licence - not because it's the law but because it does fund broadcasting in Ireland and not just RTÉ. It funds private broadcasters as well, content creators, children's programming, Irish-language programmes and important news programming from all the regions in Ireland too and that's why I'm paying it and I would urge other people to do so too," he told reporters.

Mr Varadkar was also asked about the recent cost-saving measures announced by RTÉ Director General Kevin Backhurst and the potential sale of all or part of the RTÉ campus in Montrose (watch the full video above).

Fine Gael will hold its Parliamentary Party Think In in Limerick city on Friday and Saturday.