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Caps on future RTÉ severance packages and new pay bands for presenters recommended by HR review

Report recommends that exit, severance or early retirement programmes at broadcaster should be approved formally by the board

RTÉ has also faced controversy over bogus self-employment. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins

Cormac McQuinn
Tue May 7 2024 - 22:30

Financial caps on severance packages for departing staff, new pay bands for presenters, and the publication of the personal interests and expenses of senior executives are among the recommendations of a report examining contractor fees and human resources at RTÉ.

The Independent Review of Contractor Fees, Human Resources (HR) and Other Matters in RTÉ led by employment relations consultant Brendan McGinty, made 26 recommendations.

There has been controversy in recent months over the payment of severance packages to some former RTÉ executives.

The report recommends that any future proposed exit, severance or early retirement programmes at RTÉ should be formally approved by the board and include financial or formula caps in how they are calculated.

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The report also said that the broadcaster should review its policy on presenter pay and introduce pay bands for its on-air presenters.

It also recommended that RTÉ publish details of the expenses and total remuneration, including salaries, gifts and hospitality along with a declaration of personal interests, for “all senior leaders” paid €200,000 or more per year.

The report found that RTÉ paid close to 1,100 separate allowances to staff and that the current system of allowances “including the number, purpose, and criteria applying lacks clarity and in some cases justification and should be urgently reviewed including costs”.

The Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) carrying out the review also included former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King and former director general of the Workplace Relations Commission Liam Kelly.

RTÉ has also faced controversy over bogus self-employment — instances where a company classifies a worker as self-employed although they have the characteristics of an employee.

The Department of Social Protection’s (DSP) scope section has been investigating different employee cases and issuing findings, some of which the broadcaster has appealed.

The EAC’s report recognised that “good progress” had been made by the parties and the DSP scope section process continues.

It says there is a need for RTÉ to continue to engage with people on short-term employment contracts and those engaged as independent contractors “to ensure that their employment status is appropriately and correctly recognised” and among several recommendations in this area the report states that the broadcaster and the DSP “should intensify their engagement”.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the review of HR practices and contracts “is both comprehensive and complex”.

Its Irish secretary Séamus Dooley said: “The NUJ has long demanded fairness and equality in the treatment of all staff — on and off air and at every level.”

He said that terms and conditions of employment are subject to collective agreements and are covered by contracts and “there will need to be detailed negotiations on the recommended introduction of new pay structures”.

Mr Dooley also said: “The shadow of bogus self-employment has long lingered over RTÉ and the HR review has provided a roadmap for how this should be urgently addressed.”

Chairman of RTÉ's board Terence O’Rourke said that the broadcaster supported the work of the three reviews published by the Government on Tuesday and accepted all the recommendations in principle.

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn is a Political Correspondent at The Irish Times

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