RTÉ withholds documents from committee becauseof ‘contractual obligations’

RTÉ has refused to give a powerful committee the contractual details of three former executives.

Public Accounts Committee chairman Brian Stanley said committee members had received a number of documents this week, but some had been withheld by the national broadcaster.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said: “There’s a number of documents that we didn’t get, very important ones that actually we didn’t get was – and I can confirm this to you – is the terms and conditions of the voluntary exit package for Geraldine O’Leary, the former head of commercial at RTÉ, and Breda O’Keeffe, the former chief financial officer, her exit package. We have been refused that.

“We have also been refused Dee Forbes’ contract, she’s the former director general who we haven’t had the opportunity to speak to her yet and we’re anxious to speak to her.

“We didn’t get theirs and that’s very disappointing because (they’re) three people who have been very central to all of this.”

Mr Stanley questioned whether other staff at RTÉ are also receiving such packages, adding that the committee will be seeking legal advice over the issue.

In a statement, RTÉ director-general Kevin Bakhurst said the broadcaster is fully co-operating with both committees and “being as thorough and transparent as we possibly can”, within what is permissible in law.

The statement said: “RTÉ has provided the Public Accounts Committee with more than 160 documents requested, including one which contained over 500 emails relating to payments to Ryan Tubridy and a lengthy chronology of key events relating to Ryan Tubridy’s last contract.

“This follows the recent provision of more than 170 documents to the Joint Oireachtas Committee in advance of last week’s meeting.

“Where documents have not been provided, this is because of legal and contractual obligations which preclude RTÉ from providing personal information. We are not ‘refusing’ to provide them."