The ongoing crisis at RTÉ remains seemingly unresolved as Siún Ní Raghallaigh, the former chairperson, accuses Catherine Martin, Minister for Media, of deliberately jeopardising her reputation by orchestrating her “forced exit”. In addition, the Public Accounts Committee has produced a report making more than 20 recommendations for RTÉ, one of which includes reintegrating the station within the Comptroller & Auditor General’s legal scope.
In an assertive statement released a few hours prior to a coalition leaders’ meeting on Monday in which her successor was appointed, Ní Raghallaigh criticised Martin’s explanation for the live RTÉ Prime Time interview that triggered Ní Raghallaigh’s sudden resignation nearly two weeks back. She implicated the Minister for maintaining a strategic distance from the broadcaster and indicated contradictions in Martin’s public assertions on the frequency of their interactions.
Later, the group leaders endorsed Martin’s proposal to appoint Terence O’Rourke, an ex-managing partner at KPMG, as RTÉ’s new board chairman, thereby proceeding for the Cabinet’s approval on Tuesday.
Key Developments:
– Terri Moloney and Neasa Hardiman are newly appointed to the board of RTÉ.
– This week, Minister for Media Catherine Martin will not entertain RTÉ-related queries in the Dáil.
– The report on RTÉ has been published by the Public Accounts Committee.
– RTÉ is accused by the PAC of possibly ‘misrepresenting intentionally’ the salaries of its top ten presenters.
– The PAC insists that RTÉ should operate under the statutory mandate of the C&AG.
– The Committee labels RTÉ’s decisions as ‘governance failure’.
– Ní Raghallaigh, the former RTÉ chair, accuses Catherine Martin of deliberately engineering her “forced dismissal”.
– Martin is accused by Ní Raghallaigh of deliberately maintaining a distance from RTÉ.
– The new RTÉ board chairman is to be Terence O’Rourke, ex-managing partner at KPMG.
Interesting Reads:
– RTÉ possibly ‘misrepresenting deliberately’ the earnings of top presenters.
– The sequence of events leading to the RTÉ chairperson’s resignation
– Former RTÉ chairwoman, Ní Raghallaigh, criticises ‘passive’ Minister
– Terence O’Rourke, likely new RTÉ board chair
– Common knowledge: RTÉ is in turmoil, but it’s far from the only problematic situation.
John McManus opined on why the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was adamant to scrutinise RTÉ closely. An analytical review revealed that RTÉ needs to demonstrate its evolution from the entity highlighted in the PAC’s examination.
Insight from Jack-Horgan Jones reveals the current scenario RTÉ is navigating. A report by PAC on the RTÉ dispute has been published, featuring 21 recommendations, the major one suggesting a shift in RTÉ’s accountability back to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).
It’s now apparent that this direction, endorsed by both government and opposition, is set in stone. This gives PAC an ongoing duty to oversee RTÉ. Thus, it’s expected the broadcaster will be perpetually monitored by the committee, making their meetings a consistent item in the political agenda.
The report’s suggestions, though not groundbreaking, serve as a condemnation of RTÉ’s earlier procedures, as observed by several committee members at the Tuesday’s launch.
Reporting from the Dáil, our correspondent, Sarah Burns, informs that Catherine Martin, the Minister for Media, will not be responding to any RTÉ related inquiries in the Dáil this week. Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach, revealed on Tuesday that Ms Martin has had a series of eleven meetings with Siún Ní Raghallaigh, previously serving as the head of the RTÉ board, in the past nine months.
Leo Varadkar specified that the minister agreed to present herself before the Oireachtas Media Committee and contribute again, preferably post the final reports’ release. He confirmed that this process could be wrapped up within the coming weeks. He further added that Ms Martin had provided the committee with notes from her meetings and telephone calls as requested.
However, Opposition TDs demanded that Ms Martin respond to inquiries in the Dáil this week, prioritising it over the recess for St Patrick’s Day next week. An agreement was reached on the Dáil’s activities this week, which did not consider a Q&A session with Ms Martin.
Mr Varadkar asserted that the minister previously offered explanations in front of the committee and parallely presented it in the chamber as well. He is hopeful for progress beyond the current situation and emphasized the necessity of a robust RTÉ due to Ireland’s small population of about five to six million. Here, he pointed out the potential risks of not developing our individual newscasts, intricate affairs narratives, and dramas. If such initiatives aren’t undertaken, the consequence might be an assimilation into the UK and US media and entertainment sectors, which would pose adverse effects for our nation. The recent significant governmental decisions include the assignment of a new chairperson with substantial experience in managing state boards along with exceptional financial knowledge and two additional board members. Mr Varadkar hopes these decisions to mark the initiation of a fresh era that would enable moving forth from the current circumstances.
Contrastingly, Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn suggested that Ms Ní Raghallaigh had shone a light upon events in a distinct manner compared to Ms Martin. Labour leader Ivana Bacik highlighted that this former chairperson’s statements further amplified the questions for the minister, needing a final conclusion. Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy highlighted Ms Ní Raghallaigh’s claims as phenomenal, stating that lingering questions aren’t the solution to this issue.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett criticized the government’s failure in resolving the governance issues at RTÉ that have persisted for about nine months, claiming that it is the governmental obligation to address this turmoil. He also insisted on the minister’s immediate intervention for question answering sessions to surpass this predicament.
Prominent governmental authorities conveyed their intent to scrutinise the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)’s RTÉ report prior to any commitment towards implementing its suggestions. A crucial proposal involves RTÉ falling under the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), responsible for auditing governmental departmental and agency accounts. This shift would also necessitate RTÉ representatives partaking in PAC meetings for financial questioning by the TDs.
Responding to queries about the implementation of the report by the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin expressed the need to scrutinise it first. He emphatically stressed the importance of retaining RTÉ’s editorial autonomy. Hence, any decision taken must not risk or hamper its journalistic freedom or its role in public service broadcasting.
On pinpointing the recommendation for RTÉ to fall under the C&AG’s purview, Martin opined they would review it thoroughly like the PAC. He warned of the diverse viewpoints on the matter.
The Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Dohonoe maintained that the PAC took substantial time to draft the report. Therefore, it is reasonable for them to have time to evaluate it. Dohonoe highlighted two aspects that the Government must mull over. The initial concern is about the equilibrium of power between an independent state broadcaster and the Parliament. The secondary issue is that RTÉ, as a semi-state commercial entity, competes with private sectors which are free from the C&AG’s oversight.
Dohonoe, a member of Fine Gael, argued for a thoughtful review of the report before jumping to conclusions about which suggestions to adopt.
Prior to the PAC report’s release on Monday, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar signaled his openness to have RTÉ under the C&AG’s watch. Varadkar admitted that no policy decision has been made on this matter, but expressed that further scrutiny could be beneficial. – Cormac McQuinn
Jack Horgan-Jones, our political correspondent has written:
Alan Dillon, the Fine Gael TD, voiced his dissatisfaction with Catherine Martin’s distant management style during the unveiling of the PAC’s report this morning. He argued that Ms Martin had not adequately addressed the crisis enveloping RTÉ in the summer when there had been a significant scandal. Dillon suggested that there had been scarce dialogue between Ms Martin and Siún Ní Raghallaigh during the period.
Looking ahead, he stressed that Terence O’Rourke, the future chair of RTÉ, needs to emphasise effective communication with Ms Martin to shape and realise the company’s strategic direction.
In contrast, Green Party TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh defended Martin, pinning the blame on poor communication and claiming that Ms Ní Raghallaigh had provided her with incorrect information. Although he agreed on the need for clarification, Ó Cathasaigh questioned the necessity of a prolonged Dáil committee session.
Dáil members Brian Stanley, Catherine Murphy, and Imelda Munster insisted on a question and answer session in the Dáil to address the issue.
Catherine Martin, the Minister for Media, has officially named Terence O’Rourke as the upcoming chair for RTÉ’s Board of Directors. Martin praised O’Rourke’s comprehensive experience at executive level, noting his tenure at KPMG Ireland and his experience of non-executive board roles with Enterprise Ireland and the ESB. Later in the week, Martin will be conducting a meeting with him.
O’Rourke, deeply touched by his appointment, looks forward to his new role with eager anticipation.
“The significance of RTÉ’s public service, particularly pertaining to news and current affairs, may be greater than ever in the present circumstances. He expressed eagerness to collaborate with the board and the Director General to sketch out a future path for RTÉ, and to work with the Minister and the government to provide a solid foundation for the organisation.
The government’s appointment of Terri Moloney, a Human Resources specialist, and Dr Neasa Hardiman, an acclaimed executive producer, director, and writer, to the board was also acknowledged by Ms Martin.
Ms Martin further commented that the unique experiences and skills the new board members bring will empower the board to persist in its vital task of introducing more reforms at RTÉ while devising innovative strategies to progress the organisation and maintain their commitment to providing superior public service content to Irish viewers.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged immediate publication of the two expert reports concerning governance and workplace culture to facilitate quicker execution of administrative and cultural changes at the public service broadcaster.
Séamus Dooley, the Irish Secretary of the NUJ, expressed his endorsement of the suggestion that RTÉ should be under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General following the PAC’s report.
Mr Dooley made clear that the NUJ has been consistently advocating for increased transparency and accountability in all RTÉ operations, including executive compensation.
“The role of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office would be crucial in fostering trust. The PAC report is merely one aspect of the bigger picture and needs to be evaluated alongside the Corporate Governance report and the HR Culture and contract review,” he commented.
Administering reform, as well as achieving that much-needed certainty regarding funding, is something that Mr Dooley noted the RTÉ staff are eagerly awaiting.
In his words, delays in releasing other key reports, such as the Future of Media Commission report, the extensive wait for the statutory review of defamation law’s publication, and the much-anticipated review of the Freedom of Information Act, set a disconcerting precedent. It’s crucial, he emphasised, for recommendations to be synchronised and examined.
The report and its recommendations released today form a blueprint that RTÉ should adhere to in order to ‘move on’, as noted by Brian Stanley, the chair of PAC, in relation to the recent series of scandals.”
The general public was left stunned following a series of scandals at RTÉ, and potential further problems could come to light regarding past events at the broadcasting company, as per Mr Stanley. He aired these views on RTÉ’s News at One and also expressed his approval for the selection of Neasa Hardiman and Terri Moloney as new members of the RTÉ board, advising members to be extremely watchful from here onwards.
In a separate discussion, Mr Stanley described Siún Ní Raghallaigh’s statement as a shocking revelation, claiming it throws up additional queries that require a response from Catherine Martin, the Minister for Media. Mr Stanley openly criticised what seemed like a lackadaisical approach by the Minister and the Government concerning RTÉ, and has suggested that the Minister needs to address these concerns before the Dáil.
Vivienne Clarke reported that Verona Murphy, an Independent TD who is part of the Public Accounts Committee, declared there is no room for any more undercover deals at RTÉ and emphasised the need for a future of increased clarity specifically in relation to staff salaries. She suggested the creation of an external activities register for RTÉ staff during her interview on the Today with Claire Byrne show at RTÉ radio. When asked about implementing the PAC report’s suggestions promptly, Ms Murphy replied affirmatively.
New appointments to the RTÉ board have been announced; Terri Moloney and Neasa Hardiman. Terri Moloney has experience in human resources and across multiple board roles, including at Enterprise Ireland and as an independent non-executive director with the Governing Body Audit and Risk Committee at University College Cork. Neasa Hardiman is a television-oriented, Bafta-winning director and writer. The new chair of the RTÉ board is predicted to be Terence O’Rourke.
Following the former chair’s statement, a press conference to announce the PAC report highlighted issues with Catherine Martin’s role. Labour TD Alan Kelly pointed out several inconsistencies and expressed concerns over credibility after Siún Ní Raghallaigh’s statement on Monday.
A number of members from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are voicing out their need for a Q&A session at Dáil this week, following Ms Ní Raghallaigh’s statement, which is available for further reading.
The PAC advised that the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) should extend again to cover RTÉ, as stated in their report. This step would make RTÉ responsible to the PAC. In addition to this, their report provided a total of 21 suggestions; one of these was a demand for the broadcaster to share the details of salaries exceeding €150,000 per annum in their financial documents.
Furthermore, they recommended disclosure of the exact sums paid to ex-employees who were earning more than €150,000 when they left RTÉ. The report advocated against including confidentiality clauses in upcoming severance agreements and added that there should be cooperation clauses for ex-employees relating to any future internal or external investigations, including those by Oireachtas committees.
The PAC report also suggested that RTÉ implement a written guideline for negotiations with presenters and their agents and called for an immediate establishment of a gift register. The broadcaster was urged to relay details about its interests register and outside activities register for personnel to the PAC.
According to Brian Stanley, the PAC chair, RTÉ’s decisions suggest weak financial controls, poor communication, insufficient transparency, and a governance failure, thus damaging the vital public trust in the organisation. The full PAC report can be found here.
The Dublin’s PAC has published a report suggesting that RTÉ might have knowingly given wrong information about the remuneration of its top 10 earners. It also insinuated that RTÉ intentionally concealed their agreement to cover undisclosed payments to Ryan Tubridy, a former leading presenter. After extensive hearings and documentation review since the scandal emerged last summer, the committee questioned the reliability of RTÉ’s accounting practices, considering that the reported earnings of its ten highest-paid presenters were significantly understated.
The final report accuses RTÉ of potentially misrepresenting numbers intentionally, based on the evidence put before the committee. Furthermore, it claims that an important note from May 2020 implies RTÉ’s efforts to bypass regular rules and protocols, and hide the reported support of the contract and payments made to Mr Tubridy.
Fintan Drury, the ex-chair of the RTÉ authority who was in office from 2005 to 2006, blames numerous generations of politicians for the poor management of RTÉ. He describes the recent developments as aggravating for people within RTÉ, the NUJ and the various trade unions representing those delivering the public service aspect.
Drury critically highlights the lack of political will to address the fundamentals of public service broadcasting, which he sees as being mishandled not by the board, but by politicians. He speaks of being wearied by discussions around funding models before establishing what actually needs to be funded.
On entering his new role as chairman and with a solid background in other similar roles, Drury pushes for clarity on what public service broadcasting should be before deciding on the funding process.
During his tenure as chair, Drury recounts frequent interaction with the department’s officials, yet minimal contact with then-minister Noel Dempsey. When meetings with Dempsey did occur, they centred around significant matters such as RTÉ’s future and defining public service broadcasting. He also recalls needing ministerial permission to conduct an extensive RTÉ review.
-Vivienne Clarke
In an assertive declaration on Monday, Siún Ní Raghallaigh extensively admonished the Media Minister, alleging her failure to support the past chair of RTÉ in addressing the waning adherence to licence fee payment. Ní Raghallaigh elucidated Ms Martin’s refusal to guide licence fee payers in their actions.
Ms Martin polared opinions in July when she fell short of advising individuals to meet up their licence fee obligations, choosing to encourage them to acknowledge the value of public service broadcasting. When queried about urging the populace to uphold their TV licence payments, she declined to offer direction, remarking that the merits of public broadcasting need to be kept in mind, as well as the workers, when payment decisions are being made.
Ms Martin, subsequently, expressed her understanding of the irritation over the TV licence in the wake of multiple RTÉ controversies, nevertheless, she underscored the crucial role the fee plays in sustaining public service broadcasting.
High-profile figures such as Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Eamon Ryan, leader of the Green Party, have directly implored citizens to pay the fee since the emergence of the payment scandal in June 2023.
An editorial by Una Mullally raises concerns about the outcome for any public sector body, government agency, local government, or other publicly funded organisations should they be subjected to the stringent investigation endured by RTÉ for almost one year.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has commented that Cathy Martin would most likely agree to address queries in the Dáil regarding the RTÉ crisis. According to Mr Varadkar, on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, a rift developed between Ms Martin and Ms Ní Raghallaigh, leading to a degraded trust on the Minister’s part concerning the information provided by the prior chair. The Taoiseach stated that the chairperson’s acceptance of providing imprecise data to the Minister essentially sabotaged their relationship, leading to her resignation.
In essence, both Siún Ní Raghallaigh and her counterpart are indeed women of good repute. Their image should not be stained by any current controversies or misunderstandings that may arise, leading to relationship breakdowns,” he stated. He emphasised, “This does not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing or lack of faith.”
Regarding the suggestion of RTÉ being overseen by the Comptroller and Auditor General to analyse the finances, among other elements, Mr Varadkar expressed his approval. Nevertheless, he added that the Government would have the final say.
He pointed out that several reports would soon be under review, and no action would be taken until these had been thoroughly examined. The objective here is to ensure the stability of RTÉ.
“I am a firm believer in the need for a robust RTÉ in Ireland. Given our small population of five million, we must create our own high-quality news, current affairs, and drama shows. This prevents us from being overwhelmed by British news and media markets,” he reinforced.
Additionally, according to Pearse Doherty, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin, the party has no intention of initiating a no-confidence vote against Catherine Martin, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. However, he feels the Minister should clarify certain concerns regarding RTÉ to the Dáil as soon as possible.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Doherty implied that the Minister was “laying low” and concerns over her grip on the RTÉ crisis were emerging. He characterised her as “out of her depth”. Asked whether Sinn Féin would propose a motion of no confidence against the Minister, Mr Doherty stated his lack of faith in the housing and health ministers.
“We can’t file no-confidence motions against every one of them.” Mr Doherty highlighted the fact that a TV licence issue report had been lying untouched on her desk for three years.
The Minister has come under scrutiny for her apparent lack of control over the ongoing issues at the national broadcaster, RTÉ. The manner in which she is addressing these multiple crises has raised concerns about her ability to adequately handle the situation. She has been accused of avoiding responsibility and maintaining a distance from the crises.
The key request now is for the Minister to appear before the Dáil to provide answers and accept accountability. There is a need for a clearer understanding of the frequency of her meetings with the Chair of the RTÉ authority – a point of contention between the Minister’s claims of monthly meetings and the Chair’s statements that the meetings were significantly fewer.
Jack Horgan-Jones, in his political roundup, opines that this recent revelation will inevitably lead to additional Dáil queries, further committee examinations, and an accumulation of documents pertaining to the resignation. It also indicates no resolution in sight for the broadcaster.
While the scenario does not suggest that the Minister Catherine Martin is at risk of being ousted, the situation is nonetheless eating away at her authority, straining relations and adversely shaping public views of both Government and State competence.
Minister Martin responded several hours later by upholding that she has worked closely with Department officials to address the issue, also including a detailed explanation of her stance during a lengthy meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee and in her Dáil statements. She emphasised the critical role of the Chair of a State Body supplying accurate and prompt information for a Minister.
She again expressed her gratitude to the former Chair, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, for her loyalty and dedication to RTÉ and public service broadcasting. Martin revealed that steps are being taken to move forward with RTÉ by proposing the appointment of a new Chair and additional board members for the Government’s approval. She plans to arrange meetings with the new Chair and Director General once the appointment is confirmed.
The contents of Siún Ní Raghallaigh’s full statement that was released yesterday afternoon are as follows:
Upon my chairperson appointment, I had no intentions to dive into political disputes. I didn’t fancy adding on extra harm to our public service broadcaster by disputing the minister’s certain affirmations. Yet, witnessing the unfolding of latest events, there are several issues which need some elucidation.
My acceptance of the chairperson’s role had a single objective – to promote reform of the State broadcaster with a primary concentration on crafting a future strategy, while taking care of all the problems that surfaced during my tenure. I spent each day of the past fifteen months devoted to this mission and even put my personal life on pause realising its gravity.
The series of telecommunication that ensued between me and the Department’s staff, where they relayed the Minister’s messages and my responses back to her, happened on February 22nd. This mode of communication wasn’t extraordinary at all with the Minister. The claim that there were regular, formal monthly meetings between me and the Minister isn’t correct. During my 15-month tenure as Chair, I had only several direct meetings with the Minister. As per Minister’s discourse to the Media Committee, it was revealed that ‘The direct channels of communication between a Minister for media and RTÉ is maintained via the board’s chair.’ This usually meant interaction with her Department’s staff.
The exchanges with the officials were always mutual. Although, I’m uncertain about what was conveyed back to the Minister, I’m confident that the information was truthful and same as what I told the officials. I’ve always been honest in my regular updates with the Department and didn’t have any cause to hide any details. My relationship with all the Department’s officials, including the former secretary general, has always been open and productive. I respect all of them deeply.
It was customary for me to keep in regular contact with the Department, often daily. As documented in the minutes from the Remuneration Committee meeting on October 9th, my responsibility as the committee’s Chair was to relay to the Department the details of our discussions, which I did. On October 10th, I also informed the then secretary general of the Remuneration Committee’s decisions. After this, I did not consider the matter further, nor did I receive any queries from the Department or the Minister on the issue prior to the publicised exit packages.
Given the extensive challenges RTÉ was facing, my focus shifted to several imminent concerns, notably reviving the staff’s faith in their employer and, as far as we could, re-establishing the licence fee payers’ trust in the broadcaster. This was a crucial step, particularly in order to halt the decline in licence fee compliance which had started since the controversy began last Summer. Sadly, the Minister’s statement of refusal to dictate actions to licence payers didn’t help.
As Chair, I also co-operated with a Board that had two vacancies from September/October, which increased to three in January. I informed the Minister about an upcoming vacancy in a letter I sent in the early days of August 2023. In the letter, I highlighted the pressing requirement for specific skills essential for any new board members, with financial and accounting skills being the primary ones.
Given the difficulties confronting the organisation, the dwindling number of board members, especially those with financial knowledge, weighed heavily on me. Yet no new appointments were made. Additionally, the lack of financial expertise was compounded by an unoccupied CFO role within the organisation, which had been financially struggled since July.
The exit package for Mr Collins was spotlighted during two ministry meetings which saw my attendance alongside RTÉ’s DG, with ‘numerous’ questions raised. Yet, these queries were not part of the meetings’ primary focus; they were made after addressing different key topics. On 19th February and again on 21st February, I realised I had mistakenly provided incorrect information to the Minister in response to her question. Consequently, I took steps to rectify this by seeking to offer a correction at 10.07am on 22nd February.
This was merely a forgotten detail, nothing more serious. There was no intention or benefit in dodging the issue. It’s relevant to note that this topic was resolved in October 2023, nearly five months earlier. The Remuneration Committee, which I was part of, had discussed Mr Collins’ departure package on 9th October 2023 and finalised it the following morning.
During my correspondence with the Department on 22nd February, I reminded the officials of my phone conversation with the secretary general on 10th October. I updated her about the 9th October session and broadly what the Remuneration Committee had decided concerning Mr. Collins’s exit package.
The Public Accounts Committee also made more than occasional references to this package during their meeting on 12th October 2023. Furthermore, RTÉ sent a letter to the Department on 30th November containing the revised terms of reference for the Remuneration Committee.
The queries raised in relation to the exit packages from October seemed unexpected and appeared to be re-visiting a resolved issue. Hence, the decision to bring it up after five months still perplexes me.
For perspective, the RTÉ DG’s account of the Minister’s queries during that week, as shared in his statement on 23rd February, supports this viewpoint.
Communications with Department officials continued subsequently.
Following my elucidation on 22nd February, the initial reaction from officials was to convey the Minister’s dissatisfaction and inform me that a formal letter expressing this would be forthcoming. I implored them to ask the Minister to refrain from sending the letter, as I perceived it to be detrimental to RTÉ, it could reignite an issue that had previously been addressed by the Remuneration Committee several months earlier. This would serve no constructive purpose and would render my role as Chair untenable.
I only ever told the Department’s secretary general about the Remuneration Committee’s decision regarding Richard Collins’ case and nothing else. I have absolute certainty about this. After all, my phone call to him on 10th October 2023 was to notify him about the mediation results with Mr. Collins’ legal representatives that happened the previous day. This had been directed by the Remuneration Committee and was documented in the minutes. I clarified this during a query on 22nd February and admitted, when questioned further, that I had no way of knowing if the details of my conversation with the secretary general were passed onto the Minister because I was not involved in that conversation, but I presumed they were.
My use of the term ‘presumed’ is currently being misconstrued and misinterpreted.
Over the 9.5 hours subsequent to my phone call at 10.07 to the Department on 22nd February, there were several exchanges between Department officials and myself. During these exchanges, I was keen to dramatise how the Minister’s letter would prove detrimental to the critical work being pursued by both RTÉ’s Board and the Department. I suggested to the officials that the Minister’s support was essential at this juncture, admitted my misstep, apologised for it, and asked if the Minister would contemplate acknowledging and accepting my clarification. This would be the most favourable course of action for the organisation and wouldn’t create a substantial hurdle to the ongoing reforms at RTÉ.
Despite having open lines of communication at no time during our dialogue was I extended an invitation to engage with the Minister directly, whether in person or telephonically. However, a meeting was later proposed but solely within the scope of a letter which expressed disappointment.
I voiced my concern that such a letter would effectively undermine my position, since it would signify a lack of confidence by the Minister in me and essentially force me to resign. In rebuttal, it was communicated to me that the intention behind the disappointingly pointed letter was to give the Minister something to present during her imminent Primetime interview, should she be questioned on the matter.
As events unfolded, it became clear that a strategy was being implemented, with the interview and the letter at its core, and that any input from RTÉ wouldn’t affect this course of action. The emergence of the narrative suggested that the impending Primetime slot was exerting as much influence on the direction of events as the previous inquiry into the Collins case.
At 19:36, I received the aforementioned letter from the Minister’s private secretary. Subsequently, I conferred with the DG and the Company Secretary on how to proceed, resolving to reassess after viewing the broadcast.
Following the Primetime interview, upon understanding its implications, we agreed that resignation was my only viable option. The Minister citing ‘leaking’, when the reality was simply an impending media query due the next day, struck me as somewhat incredulous.
An urgent meeting of the Board was called, leading to the drafting of a statement. Finally, on the morning of Friday, 23rd February at 00:45, my letter of resignation was dispatched via email to the Minister’s private secretary.
Regarding the press query:
Upon receiving a media request regarding the departure terms of Mr Rory Coveney and Mr Richard Collins on Thursday 22nd, at approximately half past three in the afternoon, I was engaged in drafting a reply. It was standard procedure for me to inform the Department about such matters, which I did, including our intended reply. I was inquired by the Department concerning the deadline for this reply. They suggested an extension to the morning of Friday 23rd could be considered, which they further recommended and I adhered to. I delayed our response till the morning after, instructing our communication team to do so around 5.30 in the evening. Never in the course of these dialogues was I made aware of similar media inquires directed at the Department.
Discussing Good Governance:
Although regular interactions between the Minister and the Chair could be enforced by the principles of sound governance, the tradition of the Chair communicating regularly with the Secretary General was something I found myself accepting since my initial day on the job. While this arrangement had been effective, it’s not the usual norm. Moreover, it contradicts the Minister’s indication to your committee members on Tuesday, 27th February. Throughout the last 15 months, what I’ve observed is the Minister’s interest in maintaining a non-interfering stance while delegating tasks to her officials.
Final Remarks:
In case the decision was made by the Minister to not continue with me as the Chair, that remains entirely her prerogative. However, I feel the need to voice my concerns about being forcibly terminated in a manner seemingly intended to malign my reputation.
As for the previously resolved issue dated 10th October 2023 that was extensively discussed at the PAC only to reemerge in February 2024 without any mention during the intervening time, I can’t comprehend the reason by myself. I’m not suggesting the severance package of the ex-CFO wasn’t significant, but seeing it as historical feels appropriate as I, along with the Director General, dealt with numerous pressing issues. In addition, I am convinced that the RTÉ restructuring plan couldn’t have proceeded without leveraging negotiated severance agreements, despite the cost.
The vital role of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sports & the Media in the public service media landscape is crucial. Their role in revealing truth and disputing false information is significant. It is my hope that the committee members will persist in their endeavours for a quick political solution in terms of public service media funding on our isle. For years, continuous administrations have evaded securing a robust financial base for the public service broadcaster, negatively impacting RTÉ’s capacity to adapt and react swiftly to global shifts that endanger democratic principles and independent journalism. If there’s a silver lining to this recent mess, I hope it centers our attention on what truly matters for our democracy and citizens.
Working alongside DG Kevin Bakhurst and the Board has been truly enjoyable, and we were all eager to reach our common goal. As Chair over the prior 15 months, I have poured vast efforts as the DG and Board navigated through an array of issues. My aspiration is that this initiative is sustained, and that full board support is provided to the DG to speed up the processes of change and reformation.