RTÉ witnesses may appear before Oireachtas committee over summer – chairman

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The chairman of a committee on spending oversight has suggested that witnesses may be called in over the summer recess in relation to the undeclared payments and governance at RTÉ.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which heard evidence from senior RTÉ executives and members of the RTÉ board, has requested extensive documentation from the broadcaster relating to its accounts and payments to presenters.

It comes after two high-profile committee appearances by RTÉ executives and board members, where they sought to explain governance and financial controls, particularly in relation to a UK-based barter account.

During that appearance, PAC members requested a number of documents be submitted to the committee, including Ryan Tubridy’s five-year contract and a legal note taken on the May 2020 Microsoft Teams call where a key decision was reportedly made in relation to payments to the presenter.

Labour TD Alan Kelly, who said it was “the most extraordinary meeting” of the committee he had witnessed, also requested transactions from the barter account over the past 20 years.

At the committee hearing on Thursday, RTÉ’s director of legal affairs Paula Mullooly said that the note was protected by legal privilege, and could not be submitted amid “active and threatened litigation”.

The Committee of Public Accounts has sought parliamentary legal advice in relation to this, and called on RTE to waive the legal note in the interest of transparency.

“What we need here is full transparency, and the fact that we haven’t had full transparency has brought us to the mess at the top of RTÉ,” chairman of the committee and Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley said.

Mr Stanley added that he was also interested in hearing from former director-general Dee Forbes, RTE director of content Jim Jennings, Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly, as well as former RTÉ director-general Noel Curran.

“Certainly, we will be adding other people to that list,” he told RTÉ Radio’s This Week.

Ms Forbes has not appeared before the committee, citing ill health.

His fellow PAC colleague Peadar Toibin said that when Ms Forbes’ health issues are resolved, she should appear under new expanded powers given to the committee.

The committee is expected to meet in private this week to discuss the breadth of evidence it has heard so far, and to examine any documents handed over by RTÉ.

“The fixing of this won’t be done with a sticking plaster. It won’t be done with day surgery. This is a major transplant that has to happen here at the top of RTÉ, it’s major surgery,” Mr Stanley said.

He added: “My own personal view is if we have to bring them in over the summer period, that’s fine, we need to do that.

“Because this matter is fundamental to how our country operates, how the State operates, and how our democracy operates, and to public sector broadcasting.”

The Dáil term is due to end for the summer on Thursday, July 13th.