Possible Secret Pay Scandal Influenced Tubridy’s Decision to Step Down from Late Late Show
Ryan Tubridy, host of the Late Late Show, has denied that a possible secret pay scandal had any impact on his decision to step down. However, Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins has suggested that the scandal may have influenced Tubridy’s decision, stating, “My own opinion is, maybe the taxpayer was defrauded.” Collins faced backlash from TDs when he admitted that he did not know his exact salary off the top of his head, but eventually revealed that he earns around €200,000 with a €25,000 car allowance. He also stated that RTÉ CEO Dee Forbes had told him that €75,000 invoices were for pandemic consultancy fees to Noel Kelly. The Taoiseach has called for Tubridy, Kelly, and Forbes to answer questions from a committee.
RTÉ Chair Apologizes to Catherine Martin
The Chair of RTÉ has issued an apology to Catherine Martin in relation to the resignation of Dee Forbes. The resignation came amidst the scandal surrounding secret payments at the broadcaster. The chair described the payments as an “act designed to deceive” and acknowledged that there had been a serious breach of trust with the public. The interim Director General of RTÉ, Adrian Lynch, also apologized for the board’s failure to ensure good governance in relation to the payments.
RTÉ to Publish Top 100 Earners
RTÉ has announced that it will publish the top 100 earners at the broadcaster. This comes in the wake of revelations about secret payments and concerns over transparency. In 2019, RTÉ spent €111,000 on travel and hotels to bring clients to the Rugby World Cup, €138,000 on 10-year IRFU tickets, and €26,000 on the Champions League final. The expenditure has been described as “outrageous” by the RTÉ chair, who stated that such expenditure should go through the procurement system.
Interim DG Admits Controversy May Have Influenced Tubridy’s Decision
Interim Director General of RTÉ, Adrian Lynch, has admitted that the controversy surrounding the €75,000 payments may have influenced Ryan Tubridy’s decision to step down from the Late Late Show. When questioned by SF TD John Brady, Lynch stated that it was “possible” that Tubridy could have been informed about the concerns raised regarding the payments. He also acknowledged that the Executive Board of RTÉ had failed in its responsibility to act as a collective and ensure good governance.
Incoming DG to Reconstitute Executive Board
Kevin Bakhurst, the incoming Director General of RTÉ, plans to “reconstitute” the Executive Board of the broadcaster. This comes in response to the board’s failure to act collectively and ensure good governance in relation to the secret payments. Adrian Lynch, the interim DG, expressed regret over the breach of trust with the public and apologized for the board’s failure. He stated that there was a lack of comprehensive evaluation of Tubridy’s contract and a failure to share information effectively within the Executive Board.
RTÉ Chair Vows to Publish Top Earners
RTÉ Chairperson Siún Ní Raghallaigh has pledged to publish the top 100 earners at the broadcaster. She described the secret payments as an “act designed to deceive” and expressed her shock at how the payments were recorded and presented in the RTÉ accounts. Ní Raghallaigh intends to ensure greater transparency and accountability at the broadcaster. She also stated that the Director of Content would have had some information regarding Tubridy’s payments, even though they were not present at the committee hearing.
In conclusion, the scandal surrounding secret payments at RTÉ continues to unfold, with questions being raised about the influence on Tubridy’s decision to step down and the failure of the Executive Board to ensure good governance. The incoming Director General plans to reconstitute the board, and the chair has vowed to publish the top earners at the broadcaster. Greater transparency and accountability are being sought to restore trust with the public.
