RTÉ report: Redundancy to target staff earning over €100,000 with expanded production centre in Cork

Michael Bolton

Salaries of the biggest earners in RTÉ is set to be cut as a new document released says staff who earn over €100,000 will be targeted in cutbacks.

The new cap on salaries will mean that nobody at RTÉ can make more than its director general Kevin Bakhurst.

The report, which is called "A new direction for RTÉ" outlines how the station will cut costs over the coming years, as they announced 400 jobs are set to be cut by 2028.

From 2025, production is set to increase outside of Dublin, with an increase in Galway, Cork and Limerick. However, relocating away from Donnybrook does not appear to be economically viable.

RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, RTÉ 2XM, RTÉ Pulse and RTÉjr radio are set to be closed in 2024, with RTÉ One +1 and RTÉ2 +1 to be shut by 2028.

Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, RTÉ, says: “The document we have published today sets out the strategic direction and vision for a transformed RTÉ, and is the blueprint for RTÉ’s forthcoming Statement of Strategy 2024-2028. RTÉ’s unique public service character, and values, have guided each of the ten points in the outline plan.

"As we await a decision on how public media in Ireland will be funded, we recognise the urgent need to restore trust. While RTÉ will become smaller in size across the life of this strategy, the scale of RTÉ’s public service ambition, and our ambition for the role that RTÉ will play in Irish life, will not be diminished.

"The destination of this new direction plan is, ultimately, a better RTÉ. RTÉ will deliver high-quality programmes and content and will be more agile so that we can meet evolving audience needs. We will provide better value for money. We will work harder with the independent production sector and diversify outside of Dublin.

"Over its almost 100-year history, RTÉ has served the public through the talent, integrity and commitment of its staff. Whilst acknowledging that we need to reduce our workforce, we remain committed to supporting and developing the extraordinary people that we have both in RTÉ and across the industry.

"2024 will be a challenging year and one in which we will have to manage our cost base carefully. Hard choices will be made. My hope, however, is that we will enter 2025 armed with a robust strategy that makes the best use of the monies available to fund our national media service, monies we will invest as wisely and strategically as possible to improve the invaluable contribution of public service media to life in Ireland.”