Madam, – The audience member who made comments about Pat Kenny’s salary on RTÉ television’s The Frontline has done the public some service. Although he made his contribution in a rather excited way, his central point was legitimate.
The director general of RTÉ should be called to account for the grossly-inflated salaries paid to those at the top of his organisation. What is the rationale underlying these extravagant sums? Is it important that the current presenters be retained, and if so, where would they be employed on equivalent terms and conditions?
If they resigned in protest at a slashing of their pay, could able replacements not be employed at, say, €150,000 a year? One would have to question the existence of a public service ethic in the upper echelons of RTÉ when a number of presenters earn multiples of the President’s salary. It is not good enough that presenters brush off comment on their pay by saying “thank you” repeatedly or by asking contributors not to personalise the debate. Discussion of RTÉ presenters’ pay is as relevant as the discourse on bankers’ pay or politicians’ pay. Nobody in the the public sector should be paid more than the head of State. This includes not only the Montrose “stars” but also the CEOs of semi-State companies and Prof Brendan Drumm. – Yours, etc,