New series of payment issues uncovered at RTÉ | Irish Independent
Flor Lynch
A number of unorthodox payments involving sums of up to €30,000 have been identified at RTÉ, in a report on financial issues of the past uncovered by the national broadcaster.
In one case, top-up pension payments were made to a family member of a former senior executive.
The report – which is expected to be brought to the Cabinet in the coming weeks – also identifies issues around a piece of land as well as a valuable piece of artwork in possession of the organisation whose ownership is unclear.
The report was compiled by the chief financial officer of RTÉ, Mari Hurley, who took over the role last year following a period in which the organisation was engulfed in controversy.
RTÉ radio host Oliver Callan’s firm sees profits rise to €1.9m last year
While a number of concerning financial issues from the past have been discovered in her report, it’s understood the organisation has been unable to get to the bottom of how these arrangements came about in the first place.
The issues have been flagged with the audit and risk committee of the RTÉ board, and the chair of the board has asked for a written report on all of the issues identified.
Mari Hurley. Photo: RTÉ
It has been submitted to the Minister for Media, Culture the Arts and Gaeltacht, Patrick O’Donovan, and will be brought to the Cabinet alongside the 2024 annual report for RTÉ in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson for RTÉ said the issues referred to in the report “are past issues” and are “for the most part, years or decades old”.
The spokesperson said these issues “were identified and addressed by RTÉ, and were brought to the attention of the department”.
The report details eight irregular payments – ranging between €10,000 and €30,000 mainly related to pensions.
Substantial payroll savings
RTÉ has been embroiled in controversy since the summer of 2023 when it emerged its highest-paid broadcaster, Ryan Tubridy, had received payments amounting to €345,000 over the previous five years which had not been publicly declared
The payments came to light during a routine internal audit, which was then reported to RTÉ’s audit and risk committee. The controversy resulted in a number of appearances by RTÉ executives before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Details were unearthed of a barter account that was used to spend €1.6m mostly on client entertainment and corporate hospitality over the previous 10 years including lavish hotel stays and €5,000 on flip-flops for a summer party.
Kevin Bakhurst. Photo: Gerry Mooney
A slump in licence-fee revenues as a result of the controversies necessitated a government guarantee last year of €725m in state support over the following three years.
Earlier this year, RTÉ launched the first phase of a four-year plan to reduce staff numbers by over 20pc. The organisation said there would be 100 redundancies a year, for four years, which it said would deliver “substantial payroll savings”.
RTÉ’s director general Kevin Bakhurst also announced a €250,000 salary cap, telling staff it was “not about ripping the heart out of RTÉ” but ensuring it is put on a more sustainable footing into the future.
An Oireachtas Committee is currently examining the future funding model for RTÉ. But Mr O’Donovan said he has “no notion of” abolishing the licence fee, which he said is not a tax, but is in place to support RTÉ and public-service broadcasting.
A spokesperson said last night RTÉ is “currently finalising its review of applications and we expect approximately 100 people to leave RTÉ this year”.
.