Kenny still RTÉ's highest paid star

Pat Kenny remains RTÉ’s top paid presenter according to the latest figures released by the broadcaster today.

Kenny earned €729,604 in 2009 down €221,372 or 23 per cent on 2008 when his salary peaked at €950,976.

The decrease coincided with his decision to give up the flagship Late Late Show that year.

It is the first time in two years that RTÉ has agreed to publish the fees it pays to its top 10 presenters.

In 2009, under pressure because of the recession, it published both the 2007 and 2008 figures, but has reverted to its original position that it will only publish figures two years behind for commercial reasons.

A RTÉ spokesman said the 2010 figures will be released next year.

The figures for 2009 are likely to be out-of-date for many of RTÉ’s top paid broadcasters as director-general Noel Curran has already stated that they will all have to take a 30 per cent pay cut by 2013 as their contracts come up for renewal.

Joe Duffy has already stated that he has taken such a cut.

The second highest earner in 2009 was the late Gerry Ryan who earned €585,944, a €43,921 or 7 per cent decrease on the €629,865 he earned in 2008.

The figure is less than the 10 per cent decrease he agreed to take in 2009 on request from RTÉ management.

All of RTÉ’s top paid presenters agreed to take a voluntary cut in 2009 because of the recession.

Ryan Tubridy moved from being the fourth highest to third highest paid RTÉ presenter in 2009.

However, his overall income dropped from €533,333 to €519,667 despite taking over the Late Late Show.

This is because he took a 10 per cent pay cut in 2009 when his contract was renewed that year.

Marian Finucane whose fee of €570,000 is particularly controversial because she only broadcasts four hours a week, saw a 10 per cent reduction to €513,270.

Liveline presenter Joe Duffy's fee has gone from €408,889 in 2008 to €389,314 in 2009, a decrease of just under 5 per cent.

Miriam O’Callaghan saw a similar small decrease in her fee from €301,667 in 2008 to €290,625 in 2009, a decrease of €11,042 or 3.6 per cent.

Derek Mooney is RTÉ’s seventh highest paid employee earning €268,985 in 2009 a decrease of approximately 6.2 per cent on the €286,809 he earned in 2008.

Eamon Dunphy is the biggest faller in the top 10. The €225,485 he earned in 2009 is a 31 per cent drop on the €328,051 he earned in 2008.

The drop reflects the end of his Conversations with .. programme on RTÉ Radio One in 2009.

Sean O’Rourke suffered the smallest decrease of the top ten earners, going from €218,656 to €214,084 in 2009, a drop of 2 per cent.

The only newcomer to the top 10 is 2fm presenter Colm Hayes who joined the station from FM104 in 2007. He earned €213,954 in 2009.

He presented the 2fm morning breakfast show with his fellow presenter Jim-Jim until Ryan’s death. He now presents a programme between 11am and 1pm.