RTÉ encouraged to continue reforms as latest annual report published

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

RTÉ has been encouraged to continue reforms as the latest annual report is published.

The national broadcaster is continuing to battle to manage costs as revenue from the TV licence continues to fall.

The 2025 annual report states that RTÉ recorded a surplus of €22.5 million, an increase from the 2024 figure of €5.5 million.

Licence fee income in 2025 was €183.5 million, an increase of five per cent compared to 2024 (€174.3 million).

The wages paid to the top earners were also revealed, including director general Kevin Bakhurst (€339,538), deputy director general Adrian Lynch – (€293,627), director of operations, technology & transformation Richard Waghorn (€291,160), managing director of news and current affairs Deirdre McCarthy (€285,063), director of finance Mari Hurley (€276,344) and director of human resources Eimear Cusack (€274,721).

Meanwhile, cost of the exit of 67 members of staff in 2025 under a voluntary exit programme was €8.5 million.

The Government is currently supporting RTÉ with a €725 million package from licence fee receipts and a direct top-up from the Exchequer.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers said he welcomed the transparency provided in the latest report, particularly around salaries.

“We need to see continued reforms, efficiencies, and sustainability around the wider reorganisation of RTÉ, so it’s right-sized for the future,” he said.

“It’s in that context in which government continues to evaluate RTÉ with the multi-year agreement which we’ve made, and that senior leadership team need to continue to drive that reform and efficiency agenda, and that’s what the government’s focus is to ensure that they deliver across the direction that’s been given in that context.”

Taoiseach Michael Martin made a reference to debates on RTÉ seeming to be “endless”.

“I think the wages should be reasonable, sustainable,” he said.

“I think talent needs to be at all times rewarded in terms of its contribution but the debates on RTÉ seem to be endless these days.”