Ryan Tubridy to challenge RTÉ 'untruths' at committee hearings
Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
Updated: 10.10am
Ryan Tubridy will challenge a number of what he claims are "untruths" put forward by RTÉ following revelations of undisclosed payments made to the former Late Late Show host.
Politicians have received a number of documents ahead of the appearance of Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Oireachtas Media Committee on Tuesday.
In his opening statement to the committee, The Irish Times reports that Mr Tubridy will highlight several "untruths" which have emerged so far, stressing that he was not aware that RTÉ was attempting to conceal payments made to him.
He will also claim that a statement released by RTÉ on June 22nd, which first broke the news, was "deeply damaging" to him.
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Among the documents submitted to politicians ahead of the pair's committee appearances is an email from February 2020, sent by RTÉ's then chief financial officer Breda O'Keeffe to Mr Kelly's company, NK Management.
Mr Tubridy is to state that this email confirms that RTÉ's underwriting of the Renault deal was not a secret, claiming: "Everyone in RTÉ who needed to know knew...Far from being secret, it was well known."
RTÉ has since responded to the claims, issuing a statement which read: "RTÉ rejects the claim that an incorrect version of events was presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee and/or to the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts regarding RTÉ’s agreement to underwrite payments of €75,000 per contract year due to Mr Tubridy.
"For clarity, the claim relates specifically to an email that was sent by the former CFO of RTÉ to NK Management on 20 February 2020, which is being characterised as a contractual commitment on the part of RTÉ to underwrite the payments in question."
The statement added: "RTÉ does not accept this characterisation. RTÉ’s position is that the email of 20 February 2020 formed part of the discussions and engagement between it and NK Management in relation to the proposed new TV and radio contract with Mr Tubridy/Tuttle Productions and did not comprise a binding legal or contractual commitment on its part.
"RTÉ’s position is as per previous statements: that, until the verbal commitment given by the former Director General during the call on 7 May 2020, it had not agreed to underwrite the €75,000 payment per contract year."
On Monday, on his first day as RTÉ director general, Kevin Bakhurst told reporters that whether Mr Tubridy would return to the airwaves remained undecided.
Mr Bakhurst also suggested his fate could be determined by what emerges at the PAC and Media Committee hearings – calling for “maximum transparency” from both Mr Tubridy and Mr Kelly.
Mr Tubridy has not presented his weekday morning radio programme since the issues at RTÉ came to light on June 22nd.
Mr Tubridy previously apologised “unreservedly” for not asking questions when RTÉ published incorrect figures for his earnings, and said he was looking forward to returning to his radio show.
He has also denied that the undeclared payments issue formed part of his decision to step down as Late Late Show host.
“I think it’s really important we see what comes out in the committees,” Mr Bakhurst told reporters on Monday.
“I want to see maximum transparency from Ryan and his agent in that committee, and I want to see maximum transparency from RTÉ and we’ll be putting more documents out to ensure that happens.
“And I want honesty and I want transparency and then we’ll make a judgment.”
When asked whether legal action was being threatened over Mr Tubridy’s treatment in recent weeks, Mr Bakhurst said “no”.
Mr Tubridy and Mr Kelly will appear before the PAC at 11am, while the Media committee hearing begins at 3pm.
These will mark the fourth and fifth committee appearances on the RTÉ controversy in three weeks, with two more hearings due to take place later in the week.
Mr Bakhurst is due to appear before the PAC on Thursday, his fourth day as director general, alongside RTÉ executives.
