The Politics Fix

Jaws drop with new RTÉ payment nugget, while TV licence argy-bargy leaves Dáil ears ringing

Your essential end-of-week politics catch up including how the children’s hospital debacle impacts you

RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, RTÉ board chairwoman Siún Ní Raghallaigh and RTÉ Board member Anne O'Leary arriving at Leinster House for the Oireachtas media committee. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Cormac McQuinn's face
Cormac McQuinn
Fri Feb 16 2024 - 12:06

Story of the Week

The big story can only be RTÉ back before the Oireachtas media committee for the latest bruising encounter with TDs and Senators. The politicians secured at least one major detail that had not previously been in the public domain. RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst confirmed that former chef financial officer Breda O’Keeffe was paid €450,000 as part of a controversial exit package.

The RTÉ representatives were back before the committee in the wake of the publication of a report on voluntary exit schemes and a separate one on the Toy Show the Musical stage production that lost some €2.3 million. The McCann Fitzgerald report – which reviewed voluntary exit schemes at RTÉ found that Ms O’Keeffe’s exit package – which was signed off on by Dee Forbes, RTÉ's then director general – was not brought to the executive board before it was approved. Jaws dropped when the scale of the payment was revealed.

RTÉ is now under political pressure to provide the details of any other exit packages – including one for former director of strategy Rory Coveney who was heavily involved in the musical that flopped. Bakhurst has offered a commitment to Minister Catherine Martin that he will seek fresh legal advice on whether the details of individual exit packages can be disclosed. Previous legal advice was that information on individual circumstances could not be made public.

In his analysis Hugh Linehan writes that the meeting offered more insights into RTÉ's flawed culture. Miriam Lord’s unique take on proceedings is here.

READ MORE

Bust up

Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty clashed – not for the first or last time – at Leaders’ Questions on Thursday. An argy bargy (somewhat abridged here, mercifully) ensued after the Fianna Fáil leader got a dig in about a Sinn Féin proposal to scrap the TV licence fee and offer an amnesty to those who haven’t paid. Sinn Féin’s motion to that effect was voted down in the Dáil the night before and senior Coalition figures have very much enjoyed bashing the amnesty idea given that most people still pay the licence, RTÉ controversies notwithstanding.

Micheál Martin (MM) accused Sinn Féin of not mentioning or budgeting for its plan to scrap the fee in its recent alternative budget.

Pearse Doherty (PD): “We actually did.”

MM: “You did not. That would cost in excess of €150 million...”

PD: “There’s a contingency fund of over €800 million.”

MM: “...The other fundamental problem with the amnesty proposal is that the hundreds of thousands down through the years who paid their licence fee... it’s an incredible insult to them.... What you’re really saying to people [is] don’t bother paying your bills…”

PD: “Who’s dishonest now?... you won’t answer the question about accountability [for controversies at RTÉ]…

MM: “... ‘we will look after you at the end of the day’. That is what you’re saying...”

PD: “Accountability! The only person who’s held accountable is the mother who can’t pay her TV licence.”

Ceann Comhairle (CC) Seán Ó Fearghaíl rings the bell to no avail.

MM: “...for those who paid their licence fees over the years Deputy that is an incredible slap in the face.”

CC: “Thank you Tánaiste time’s up...”

PD: “You know what’s a slap in the face? €450,000.″

CC: “Would you please, please respect the orders of the House...

MM: “I just wanted to finally say, what you basically said to the Irish people is why bother pay any bill?”

Outrage erupts again from Doherty: “Now that’s completely and utterly dishonest...”

CC: “Deputy, Deputy.”

The Ceann Comhairle’s ears are probably still ringing.

How does any of this week’s political news affect me?

The new national children’s hospital (NCH) was back in the news after Ministers agreed to fork out another half a billion euro for the project that’s long been beset by delays and spiralling costs. The new price tag is more than €2.2 billion for the hospital, its kit out, and two satellite centres. So will that be the final price tag? The Government certainly hope so and taxpayers will too.

But here’s a different way it affects people, specifically children. The development board overseeing the project was set up in 2007. A child born that year will be 18 when the hospital is finally expected to open in 2025. They will never receive medical treatment there themselves. Just an example of how long it can take to get major projects done in Ireland.

Banana skin

In a rally in South Carolina, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump told the crowd that not only would the United States not come to the aid of a European ally if Russia attacked, but that he would “encourage” Moscow to go ahead with it. He wants Nato allies to pay more for defence. Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary reports on the reaction on the continent. There are probably more than a few reasons to view a second Trump administration as a potential banana skin. His remarks about Nato will be alarming for many European countries. Meanwhile, despite Trump’s comments Russian president Vladimir Putin is apparently backing US president Joe Biden for another four years

Winners and losers

Winners: Members of the Oireachtas media committee for their return to the spotlight with another round of grilling RTÉ executives on the national broadcaster’s woes (and getting one or two new nuggets of detail in the process).

Losers: Also members of the media committee. It may well be their last bite of the cherry when it comes to battering Montrose management for a while in the absence of some fresh controversy.

The Big Read

The Social Democrats are holding their national conference in Dublin this evening and all day tomorrow – Holly Cairn’s first one as party leader. Jack Horgan-Jones has an interview with her as part of a long read looking at the party’s trajectory, and the big questions that await as it hopes to move to the next level in Irish politics.

Hear here

There’s are referendums on – though as our latest poll showed last week many people wouldn’t be able to give a good explanation of what the family and care votes are about. Irish Times columnists Michael McDowell and Justine McCarthy went head to head on next month’s votes in Wednesday’s Inside Politics Podcast. Here McDowell and McCarthy get to the knub of the issue.

I speak as a woman and a mother and it (article 41.2) psychologically affects me, it affects many women I know.

—  Justine McCarthy
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