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RTÉ controversies: New report finds multiple ‘compliance failings’ at broadcaster

Prof Niamh Brennan’s long-awaited report is said to have exercised ‘restraint’ on question of apportioning blame on individuals

Professor Niamh Brennan: her report on the State broadcaster is to be brought before the Cabinet next week. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

Arthur Beesley
Wed May 1 2024 - 05:00

A new report on pay and spending controversies at RTÉ has found multiple “compliance failings” in the national broadcaster, as Ministers face into crunch talks on the organisation’s future funding.

Amid divisions in the Cabinet over the best way to impose order on RTÉ's weakened finances, the long-awaited report by Prof Niamh Brennan of UCD sets out numerous governance and cultural issues that need to be addressed.

However, she is said to have exercised “restraint” on the question of apportioning any blame for lax RTÉ governance and compliance failings on any named senior figures.

Her report on the State broadcaster, to be brought before the Cabinet next week, is more likely to highlight collective failings among numerous individuals.

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Ms Martin had asked Prof Brennan to examine compliance with official codes of practice for State bodies and compliance with the laws under which RTÉ operates.

She was also asked to identify any failures or weaknesses in RTÉ's governance or culture that lay behind undeclared payments to former star presenter Ryan Tubridy and the understatement of his earnings.

Prof Brennan’s report was one of three delivered last weekend to Minister for Media Catherine Martin, who has indicated she will provide an update on the findings to Coalition leaders on Thursday.

The second report, by consultant Brendan McGinty, examined how RTÉ engages presenters and contractors. The third, by accountants Mazars, examined RTÉ's barter account, a form of trading account in which media groups use advertising slots to pay for certain goods and services.

After disclosures last June about concealed payments to Tubridy set off a series of crises, the unresolved affair is now into its 12th month.

But there is still no certainty over future RTÉ financing, with big gaps between Ministers still to be overcome as the Coalition pushes for a final settlement of policy questions this summer.

Licence fee income is down significantly since the eruption of turmoil, necessitating big Government bailouts.

Ms Martin favours a form of direct Exchequer funding for RTÉ but Tánaiste Micheál Martin has set himself against that option, backed up by Minister for Finance Micheal McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe.

People familiar with Coalition talks say the most likely option right now is the Revenue to be given responsibility for collecting a new levy to fund the public service broadcaster and certain independent productions.

That raises questions as to whether the tax authority is asked to scope out how it might take up such responsibilities, a move that would require new legislation. At the same time, RTÉ would be required to introduce binding governance changes and a programme of reforms in return for a new deal on money.

Although Ministers want to resolve policy questions in the next couple of months, the execution of the new plan won’t come until 2025 or even 2026.

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Arthur Beesley

Arthur Beesley

Arthur Beesley is Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times

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