Cabinet to decide terms for review of governance and culture at RTÉ

James Cox

Cabinet Ministers will agree on the terms of reference for a review of governance and culture at RTÉ this morning.

It is expected to take six to eight months, however several interim reports are expected before then.

Media Minister Catherine Martin will also seek approval to appoint a qualified external person to comb through accounts at RTÉ, trawling back for a number of years.

It is expected discussions around potential structural changes will take place, with Ministers seeking greater transparency and to find out how secret payments were made to Ryan Tubridy without being challenged.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said RTÉ must rebalance its focus away from personality presenters and back to its public service ethos.

Mr Martin expressed concern that the “culture of the agent” had become predominant within the public service broadcaster, to the detriment of the interests of the collective organisation.

He said there was a need for a “root and branch” examination of how RTÉ operated going forward.