RTÉ remains 'fully committed' to Cork operations

RTÉ has said that it remains “fully committed” to its operations in Cork, contrary to speculation.

RTÉ finances are under heavy scrutiny after revelations emerged that the broadcaster had under-reported how much it had paid former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy over the past years.

Details of additional payments to Tubridy prompted a deluge of statements from the broadcaster, the presenter himself, government and opposition politicians, as well as anger from the public and RTÉ staff.

It also posed major questions for the future funding of the broadcaster, but the broadcaster has said it remains committed to its operations in Cork.

“Contrary to speculation, RTÉ remains fully committed to its operations in Cork.

“The suitability of the current building for the full range of RTÉ's operations in Cork is being assessed,” a statement issued by RTÉ read.

Now, Tubridy faces the prospect of being questioned in the Oireachtas about his dealings with RTÉ, after Dáil committee chairman Brian Stanley said the broadcaster would be compelled to appear in Leinster House if he declines to attend voluntarily.

According to The Irish Times, the government is preparing to give powers to an external reviewer to examine years of the national broadcaster’s financial records.

The intervention, to be agreed on at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, comes after the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard claims that RTÉ had a “slush fund” for expensive sports and entertainment junkets.

The controversy began almost a fortnight ago when it was announced that more than €345,000 in hidden payments had been made to Tubridy.

It has since widened, and concern has intensified over lax financial controls in RTÉ and governance failings in its executive and board.

Capping salaries

Meanwhile, capping salaries within RTÉ would restore a sense of community culture within the broadcaster, a senator has claimed.

Independent Ronan Mullen is pursuing a private member’s bill in Ireland’s Seanad that would seek to ensure the highest salary in RTÉ does not exceed that paid to the country’s media minister, €195,000 a year.

Mr Mullen said his legislative bid was timely given the furore that continues to engulf the public service broadcaster following revelations last month that it underreported the salary paid to star presenter Ryan Tubridy by 345,000 euro between 2017 to 2022.

The crisis has since widened amid further revelations about RTÉ’s internal financial, accounting and governance practices.

Many of the issues emerged when senior RTÉ executives were questioned at two parliamentary committees in Dublin last week.

Much of the focus has centred on the workings of a UK-based “barter” account used by RTÉ to pay for certain services and tickets and trips related to corporate client entertaining.

Mr Mullen’s proposals would also require that any RTÉ salary equivalent to the pay of a TD, €107,000, would need to be made public.

It is unclear whether the Government intends to back the private member’s bill.

“I think this is very damaging to public confidence in the broadcaster,” Mr Mullen said of the current controversy.

“We’ve maybe focused too much on corporate values and not enough on community values.” 

In an interview with RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, he added: “I think we need to just rediscover that sense of community culture and I think the corporate excess around some salaries has very been very damaging to that.” 

Cabinet is expected sign off on terms of reference for a government commissioned external review into culture and governance at RTÉ when it meets on Tuesday.

Media minister Catherine Martin is also set to use powers under the Broadcasting Act to appoint a designated auditor to go in and examine RTÉ’s accounts.

On Sunday, Ms Martin insisted there were no proposals for staff redundancies or selling assets at RTÉ.

The statement from her spokesperson came following weekend media reports suggesting the Government was considering several significant cost cutting steps at the organisation.

External review

Ms Martin is also due to meet with chairwoman of the RTÉ board Siun Ni Raghallaigh and incoming director general Kevin Bakhurst in the coming days to discuss the external review.

Mr Bakhurst is planning to “reconstitute” the executive board once he takes up his post.

His predecessor as director general, Dee Forbes, quit last week amid the fallout from the scandal.

She had already been due to stand down in July, with Mr Bakhurst taking over.

The parliamentary media committee in Dublin has also invited former chairwoman of the RTÉ board Moya Doherty, ex director general Noel Curran, and former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe to answer TDs’ and senators’ questions on Wednesday.