RTÉ pay controversy: Key findings of second Grant Thornton report

Key findings in the second Grant Thornton report into the RTÉ payments controversy:

• The report found, as “a matter of fact”, adjustments made by RTÉ finance staff during 2020 caused published earnings figures for Tubridy throughout 2017, 2018 and 2019 to change to an amount below €500,000, from the actual amount. No “spreadsheet or workings” were found to support these adjustments;
• Tubridy’s reported earnings from 2017 to 2019 were publicly understated due to these adjustments made by RTÉ's finance department;
• A subsequent move by RTÉ last June to restate the understated published earnings was found to be appropriate. The published earnings following that restatement are the same as those recorded in the internal payment system;
• Neither Tubridy nor NK Management which represents him had any involvement in making those original adjustments;
• No financial gains were made by either Tubridy or RTÉ as a result of those adjustments;
• Signs of poor governance were identified, including significant deficiencies in internal management controls, failures in finance, and a lack of communication from the executive to the board;
• Tubridy waived the €120,000 exit fee in his contract and this was not paid. He was not involved in 2020 contract negotiations, nor did he receive emails or attend meetings regarding the negotiations;
• The report stated definitively: “Mr Tubridy had no involvement in the adjustments made by RTÉ in 2020 to published earnings totaling €120,000 for 2017 to 2019.″;
• In March, 2020, those involved in finance at RTÉ had the opportunity to “raise a flag” that earlier proposed accounting treatment of adjusting 2017, 2018 and 2019 was “no longer appropriate”;
• Three Deloitte reports were provided to RTÉ finance staff but not passed to the board or the audit and risk committee, even though they were addressed to board members;
• The remuneration and management development committee of the RTÉ board was not provided with details of the “top talent” earnings list prior to its publication in January, 2021. This is now set to change;
• Between 2008 and 2016, and between 2020 and 2022, no errors were found in the reported earnings of Tubridy;
• The report was somewhat limited due to the inability of former director general Dee Forbes or director of content Jim Jennings to engage with the process.