‘Secret nature of payments is a breach of trust unparalleled in the history of RTÉ': Staff to hold emergency meeting with union

RTÉ staff are due to hold an emergency meeting with union representatives on Friday following the revelations about undeclared payments to Ryan Tubridy.

In a statement the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said: “The secret nature of the payments is a breach of trust unparalleled in the history of RTÉ.”

The Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is to seek an “immediate explanation” from RTÉ after it emerged that it understated the pay of former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy by more than €300,000 over six years.

PAC chair Brian Stanley said in a statement that “what has happened is utterly unacceptable and yet another serious breach of trust between our national broadcaster and the public”.

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Meanwhile, employees in RTÉ are due to meet union representatives on Friday after they were briefed about the payments by chairperson of the board Siún Ní Raghallaigh.

“These revelations have shocked and dismayed NUJ members and staff throughout the organisation,” secretary of the NUJ Ireland, Seamus Dooley. “RTÉ, as a public service broadcaster, has built a strong reputation for trust, the cornerstone of any media organisation. The secret nature of the payments is a breach of trust unparalleled in the history of RTÉ.

“It is a betrayal of the workers and has long term consequences for the relationship between RTÉ and its employees.

“It must be remembered that when these secret payments were being negotiated with a third party, RTÉ and the Trade Union Group were engaged in negotiations on pay for their members.

It added: “The overpayment to Ryan Tubridy is the equivalent of the salary of a journalist in RTÉ.”

The RTÉ Trade Union Group expressed “shock and disappointment” at the revelations.

Chair of the TUG, Stuart Masterson, said: “This is a significant breach of trust with staff and their representatives, with Government and with the Irish public. RTÉ have done immense damage to the relationship with staff. This happened at a time when staff were engaged in cost-cutting negotiations with management.”

Mr Stanley contrasted the news with the payment last year by RTÉ of €1.2 million for unpaid employee PRSI.

“Just last year, RTÉ was forced to make a settlement of €1.2 million to Revenue for unpaid employee PRSI and the broadcaster is now under investigation by the Department of Social Protection for the misclassification and bogus self employment of over 100 employees.”

[ RTÉ reveals undeclared €300,000 payments to Ryan Tubridy as top earners’ contracts investigated ]

“Today’s revelations are just yet another example of the poor levels of transparency and questionable culture that has dominated RTÉ for too long, and this needs to change.”

“As chair of the Public Accounts Committee I have written to the members of the committee requesting that we seek an immediate explanation from RTÉ on this matter,” he said in a statement released by Sinn Féin.

Mr Stanley’s comments were mirrored by PAC vice-chair Catherine Murphy. The Social Democrats TD said RTÉ management must appear before it to explain the payments.

“Today’s bombshell revelations involve a breach of trust from an organisation that has repeatedly put on the poor mouth about its dire financial situation when seeking an increase in the television licence fee.”

“It should also be noted that these secret payments to one of its stars were made at a time when ordinary workers at RTÉ were being subjected to pay cuts, pay freezes and redundancies.”

“This controversy raises crucial issues about corporate governance and controls within an organisation which is tasked with holding others to account with its public service journalism remit.”

External accountants are to review the contracts of the top 10 highest paid presenters in RTÉ after an initial investigation revealed the broadcaster had understated how much it was paying the former Late Late Show presenter.

“The PAC is demanding the full details surrounding the circumstances that led to this understatement by RTÉ in its accounts.”

“What has happened is utterly unacceptable and yet another serious breach of trust between our national broadcaster and the public.”

Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne, who sits on the Oireachtas media committee, said the revelations would “not help RTÉ's case for additional public funding”.

There is a need for “complete transparency by RTÉ, the Late Late Show and Ryan Tubridy himself. The public must be told what agreements were entered into, who knew about them and who approved them,” he said.

The Grant Thornton report into the financial arrangement disclosed by RTÉ should be published as soon as possible, he said.

“On publication, RTÉ and Grant Thornton will be invited to appear before the Oireachtas Media Committee and they should be clear about what has happened and any actions that will be taken,” he said.

“There is also a need to provide regular reports to Minister Catherine Martin”.

In Government there was shock over the developments. Speaking privately, one Minister said: “I though I was beyond being shocked .. turns out I’m not.”