RTE crisis

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/06/29/10-things-we-learned-from-rtes-pac-appearance-from-god-like-agents-to-tubridy-timeline/

1. Dee Forbes may be compelled to appear before the PAC
At the very outset of the hearing, PAC chair Brian Stanley said the committee will soon seek powers to compel former director general Dee Forbes to appear when "it is medically appropriate to do so." She is not the only one who politicians are determined to hear from. In Brussels, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that Ryan Tubridy, his agent Noel Kelly and Ms Forbes should appear before an Oireachtas Committee. "We are trying to get to the bottom of what happened when it comes to these unusual, clandestine payments in RTÉ," Mr Varadkar said. Beyond the main officials, he said there are "other people who could shine a light on this, and they include Ryan Tubridy, they include his agent, they include Dee Forbes. There are procedures, they will be treated fairly and I think that would be the right thing to do from their part. They may have a story to tell, and I think it's right that they should be allowed to tell their side of the story."

2. RTÉ board will be overhauled or 'reconstituted'
The first task of the incoming Director General of RTÉ will be to reconstitute the broadcaster's Executive Board, the PAC was told. Interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch said the board failed in its collective responsibility in the events leading to the misstatement of payments to Ryan Tubridy. Furthermore, the Government review will also examine the same issue. The secretary general of the Department of Media Katherine Licken said a planned external review into RTÉ will also examine whether its current governance framework is "fit for purpose".


3. Salaries beyond the top ten will now also be published
Chair of the board Siún Ní Raghallaigh said further salary figures will be published for other high earners in the organisation. She undertook to do so "in as soon as is practicably possible." She gave the answer in response to questions from Fianna Fáil TD James O'Connor. There was an awkward moment halfway through the committee hearing when chief financial officer Richard Collins was asked what his salary is, especially given it was going to be published anyway. A long pause followed, before he revealed he is paid around €200,000 with a €25,000 car allowance on top. "It's an extraordinary amount of money," said Sinn Féin's John Brady.

4. Days of agents wielding huge power may be numbered
Ms Ní Raghallaigh was questioned by Fianna Fáil TD James O'Connor who raised an issue with the "god like power" of agents. She confirmed that the broadcaster is looking at whether it should continue to deal with agents in the manner it has previously. "This is what we are looking at in relation to whether we continue with agents," she said citing "five pillars" of review of how the organisation operates.

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5. New information about 'consultancy fees'
Committee members were keen to get to the bottom of how the €75k top-ups were labelled as being for "consultancy fees" on invoices. Paula Mullooly, director of legal affairs in RTÉ, told the committee that it was "highly inappropriate" that the invoices were labelled as consultancy fees, when it has since emerged that they were top-up payments. But the most revealing exchanges were between Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster and RTÉ's chief financial officer Richard Collins. He described asking Dee Forbes what those invoices for "consultancy fees" were for. The conversation happened after the auditors let their concerns be known. "I can't remember exactly how she explained it. It was to do with how RTÉ was structured during Covid-19. It was advice that Dee Forbes had received around how RTÉ structured itself and presented itself during Covid-19. I relayed back what I was told." Collins then said: "She gave what appeared to be a plausible explanation." And yet, under further questioning from committee chair Brian Stanley, Mr Collins then said: "I was concerned, but I knew that the director general had a close relationship with Noel Kelly."

6. Presenters will have to declare all their interests
Mr Collins said that the incoming director general Kevin Bakhurst will be drawing up a register of interests that all presenters will have declare. The call for such a move was previously made by Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne who said: "I think we are going to need a register of interests for all of those in prominent positions within RTÉ ... I think to rebuild trust, that is going to be essential."

7. Phrase 'talent' to describe top presenters and others may be binned
Chair of the board Siún Ní Raghallaigh, in her opening statement, made a point about the frequent use of the phrase "the talent" to describe presenters like Ryan Tubridy. "Words matter and the term, as it is currently used, reinforces a 'them and us' culture in RTÉ. It implies some have greater worth than others. The first step in cultural change is to consign this term to the dustbin." RTÉ's Education Correspondent and chair of the NUJ Dublin broadcasting branch Emma O'Kelly welcomed this in a tweet. "To us in the Newsroom, the "talent" we're concerned about includes the young journalists who have left the organisation in recent months, seeing no future within RTÉ."

8: Some €1.5m has gone through the controversial barter account
Between €1m and €1.5m has gone through the now-controversial barter account over the last ten years, the committee heard. Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins also said it appeared the barter account was used for "expenses that came up in the commercial department that had not been budgeted for." Fine Gael's Colm Brophy labelled it a "slush fund" and there were more revelations after this too. Geraldine O'Leary, Head of Commercial in RTÉ, confirmed some of the other items paid for out of the barter account. This included €111,000 to bring clients to the Rugby World Cup, €138,000 for 10 IRFU tickets and €26,000 to bring people to the Champions League final in 2019. Chair of the RTÉ board Siún Ní Raghallaigh was asked for her reaction and she said it was "outrageous ... expenditure like that should have gone through the procurement system. I believe that that's now been put in place." Interestingly, Richard Collins also said RTÉ is "taking advice" as to whether there is a tax liability with regard to the way the barter account was used.

9. 'Possible' that Ryan Tubridy knew of concerns when he stepped down
Interim DG Adrian Lynch said "it's possible" that Ryan Tubridy was told that the payments issue had arisen before he stood down from the Late late Show. Sinn Féin TD John Brady posed the question, asking if someone could potentially have informed Mr Tubridy before he stepped down. "Based on the information from yesterday, it's possible," Mr Lynch said.


RTÉ's Adrian Lynch has said it was possible that Ryan Tubridy knew the under-reporting of his pay may be revealed before he stepped down from the Late Late. (Oireachts TV)

10. New Late Late Host Patrick Kielty will be paid €250,000 per season
Although it emerged just before the PAC started, and not during the meeting, it was revealed that the new Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty will be paid €250,000 per season. In a statement, Kielty said: "I'm being paid €250,000 per 30 show season. If additional shows are requested by RTÉ, they'll be paid on a pro-rata basis. I'm also receiving a one-off payment of €20,000 to cover the pre-production and rehearsals from now to September. The contract allows me to submit flight and accommodation expenses, but I've waived this. I've made it clear to RTÉ that I will be covering my own flights and accommodation costs. I've also asked RTÉ to carbon offset my flights."

Ryan Tubridy
RTÉ Pay Controversy
Public Accounts Committee

[restorepride]

Rugby did well out of the Barter Fund!! Jaysus.

[marty34]

Need a full check on is there anybody else in the higher echelons of RTÉ on these type of 'contracts'.

Seems to be perks for the boys at the top - the establishment.

Needs to be completely stripped right back and re-built.

How could Tubridy go into the studio again and face camera staff and researchers again after this. Not his fault but immoral.

[seafoid]

Need a full check on is there anybody else in the higher echelons of RTÉ on these type of 'contracts'.

Seems to be perks for the boys at the top - the establishment.

Needs to be completely stripped right back and re-built.

How could Tubridy go into the studio again and face camera staff and researchers again after this. Not his fault but immoral.

They were spending money they didn't have.
Underwriting the Renault deal would have been fine in 2005 when there was loads of money and nobody cared.
But now the cupboard is bare.

[trailer]

The CFO who doesn't know what his salary is. Like how do these people get jobs? There's a load of people in government and semi state companies who wouldn't be employable in the private sector. Anyone with any competence is working in proper companies. And it's all levels. North and South.

Deloitte have a lot to answer for here. They were at the core of the FAI scandal as well. They're absolute charlatans. Pay them enough and they will turn a blind eye to anything by the looks of it.

[marty34]

The CFO who doesn't know what his salary is. Like how do these people get jobs? There's a load of people in government and semi state companies who wouldn't be employable in the private sector. Anyone with any competence is working in proper companies. And it's all levels. North and South.

Deloitte have a lot to answer for here. They were at the core of the FAI scandal as well. They're absolute charlatans. Pay them enough and they will turn a blind eye to anything by the looks of it.

Good point.

How do these people get these top positions? Incompetent in reality.  Just look at the amount of bluffing in the PAC over the past few days.  Like school children when asked by the teacher who was writing on the classroom wall. All mmmm, well, bluff and looking at each other to see who'll answer the question.  Embarrassing stuff.

Only thing is if the move on, they'll walk straight into another big gig.

As I say, it's all about the establishment.

[imtommygunn]

The CFO who doesn't know what his salary is. Like how do these people get jobs? There's a load of people in government and semi state companies who wouldn't be employable in the private sector. Anyone with any competence is working in proper companies. And it's all levels. North and South.

Deloitte have a lot to answer for here. They were at the core of the FAI scandal as well. They're absolute charlatans. Pay them enough and they will turn a blind eye to anything by the looks of it.

There are plenty of incompetent people at CxO level in the private sector too.

[seafoid]

The CFO and the Commercial Director came across very poorly. The Chair and the acting DG were better.

The system that paid Tubs 500k is finished.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/media/2023/06/30/rte-pay-scandal-live-ryan-tubridy-dee-forbes-latest-controversy-committee/?Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said revelations at the Public Accounts Committee yesterday about RTÉ's barter account were "a matter of real concern", and suggested that accounting rules and company law may have been breached at the station.He said the Government would proceed with the appointment of "someone who understands corporate governance, understands accounting, understands how organisations should be run and should not be run" to examine the situation at RTÉ and "put things right". This is understood to be Prof Niamh Brennan from UCD.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/media/2023/06/30/public-accounts-committee-has-power-to-compel-dee-forbes-ryan-tubridy-and-noel-kelly-to-attend/

Former RTÉ director general Dee Forbes, broadcaster Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly fall within the categories of persons who may be compelled to attend before the Public Accounts Committee.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/07/01/in-the-eye-of-the-storm-noel-kelly-the-behind-the-scenes-agent-seen-as-rtes-real-director-general/

Noel Kelly might, however, find it more difficult to attract up and coming presenters.
"Because he has really destroyed Ryan Tubridy's career, by being too smart. Ryan Tubridy had an option to say no [in relation to his arrangements with RTÉ], he is not a child. But Ryan Tubridy's career has been destroyed and Noel Kelly is right in the middle of it and there is no other way to twist and turn that."

[From the Bunker]

A lot made of RTE buttering up sponsors with GAA, FAI and Rugby hospitality. I'd presume this has to be done in the real world. To attract sponsors, you have to make the deal attractive to the people in the corporations making the decisions. These lads are not just thinking of sales from Advertising, they are thinking of potential junkets that will become available. If you treat them properly they'll be easier to approach the next time and word will get round in their circles.

[manfromdelmonte]

The CFO who doesn't know what his salary is. Like how do these people get jobs? There's a load of people in government and semi state companies who wouldn't be employable in the private sector. Anyone with any competence is working in proper companies. And it's all levels. North and South.

Deloitte have a lot to answer for here. They were at the core of the FAI scandal as well. They're absolute charlatans. Pay them enough and they will turn a blind eye to anything by the looks of it.

As a public sector employee I cannot tell you what my final salary figure is. Honestly. I never even open payslips

[Milltown Row2]

Haven't opened a payslip on over a year. Not for want of trying, went with Sage and forgot password, but the wife tells me if it's good or bad each month

[Baile Brigín 2]

The CFO who doesn't know what his salary is. Like how do these people get jobs? There's a load of people in government and semi state companies who wouldn't be employable in the private sector. Anyone with any competence is working in proper companies. And it's all levels. North and South.

Deloitte have a lot to answer for here. They were at the core of the FAI scandal as well. They're absolute charlatans. Pay them enough and they will turn a blind eye to anything by the looks of it.

There are plenty of incompetent people at CxO level in the private sector too.

Absolutely. But they tend not to last.  The idea is to pay people the minimum to keep them there, not fleece the balance sheet.

To me the scandal is the behind the scenes staff took paycuts and redundancies in order to fund the top tier of talent and executives who didn't need it.

If the CFO is on 'around' 200k he should be on the list of top earners. Why isn't he? Did they forget to report executive pay to the Dail?