RISE TD Paul Murphy has called for a new tax on social media companies which could prop up cash-strapped RTE.

Mr Murphy said he is supportive of a proposal by UK Labour Party leader Jeremey Corbyn to tax tech firms to fund public interest journalism.

Speaking on Independent.ie’s Floating Voter podcast, he said: Jeremy Corbyn has quite a good idea in Britain which is an idea for effectively a digital TV licence which isn’t aimed at ordinary people but is aimed at tech Giants your Twitter, your Facebook or your Googles and saying they should pay a proportion of their substantial income towards broadcasting and I’d agree with that.”

The Dublin South West TD also said a “lasting legacy” of the water charges movement can be seen in the Government’s resistance to increase the TV licence fee.

“It is a good thing that the government is scared to increase the TV licence or turn it into a broadcasting charge and all these plans,” he said.

Mr Murphy said he pays his own TV licence but believes it should be abolished and instead RTE should be funded through general taxation.

The RISE TD also said he believes socialists parties who he supports in the Dáil will try unseat him at the next general election.