The Data Protection Commission has stopped RTÉ from disclosing information about the outside work and incomes of its employees and contractors, according to the broadcaster. In a report published on Thursday, RTÉ stated that it had sanctioned 133 occasions of outside work in February and March this year. It was reported that payments exceeded €10,000 for less than 1% of these occurrences.
The payment structure was outlined as follows: for 26% of the instances, the payment was between €1 and €1,000; for 22% it was between €1,001 and €5,000, and in one case, it was between €5,001 and €10,000. No payment or benefit was involved in 50% of the cases.
RTÉ has formally requested that the government amend the data protection law to permit them to publish details of staff and contractor’s external earnings and operations. This register of external activities extends to all employees and contractors involved in the editorial production of RTÉ.
Often, externally interested parties target on-air personalities for their public presence, asking them to undertake external work. However, those in specific editorial roles, such as editors or producers, may also be approached to participate in an external activity. In these instances, the form would apply.
RTÉ had originally intended to unveil the identity of individuals granted permission for external work, including a brief description of the task and the amount paid within certain pay brackets. The public register required to publish such details, however, necessitates a “specific legal underpinning in the form of primary or secondary legislation,” according to advice from the Data Protection Commission.
The commission has informed that it would exercise its statutory rights if any attempt is made to publish the initially suggested detailed information without the presence of adequate legislation. The Data Protection Commission confirmed to RTÉ, expressing no issues with the construction and assembly of the register for external activities for the internal organisation’s usage.
Kevin Bakhurst, director general of RTÉ, conveyed the company’s aim to ensure more transparency concerning external activities, with plans to disclose details as previously stated. He also mentioned that RTÉ officially asked the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media to move forward with the legislation, recognising the willingness of the Data Protection Commission to offer their support in this matter.
Mr. Bakhurst also indicated that the establishment and running of the register of external activities remained unaffected by the restriction on the publication of intricate information, further adding that it is mandatory for employees and contractors to submit pertinent information while seeking approval for an external endeavour.