The chair of RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, told politicians this week that the last few weeks have been “undoubtedly the darkest period in RTÉ's history.” With new revelations unfolding almost every day over the last two weeks – and the threat of more to come – staff are braced for at least another fortnight under the heavy glare of the spotlight. Here are the outstanding questions that RTÉ and others must answer, a guide to what happens next and the latest information on what major changes might take place inside the organisation.
Q: What are the main unanswered questions in relation to the misrepresented payments to Ryan Tubridy?
A: Firstly, there still has not been a clear explanation for €120,000 in undeclared payments to Tubridy between 2017 and 2019. This sum is included in the €345,000 in hidden payments to the former Late Late Show host that were never declared in a line of public statements down through the years. Grant Thornton is currently examining the issue, but it is not known exactly when they will report. Secondly, there hasn’t yet been one clear satisfactory answer about why the two further payments (on foot of a commercial deal with Renault underwritten by RTÉ) were labelled as consultancy fees and who exactly said this should happen.
Q: So what happens next?
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There are two big events next week. Firstly, the incoming director general Kevin Bakhurst will, on Monday, reveal his plan to repair the damage done by this debacle. He will address staff and will detail exactly how he plans to shake up the RTÉ executive management and how it does its business. This will be a huge moment for RTÉ, and particularly for staff who feel they have not been properly consulted or addressed over the last few weeks. Secondly, it now looks as though Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly will appear before politicians not once, but twice, on Tuesday. As of now the plan is for the two men to appear before the PAC on Tuesday morning, and the Media Committee on Tuesday afternoon. There are two committees examining the issue because the PAC has oversight of government spending, and the Media Committee has a remit to examine all issues that come under the Department of Media. Beyond this a Government-appointed forensic accountant will likely land in Montrose next week, and procurement for the two Government reviews into governance and accountability will begin after.
Q: What is likely to change in RTÉ?
A: The broadcaster is entering a momentous period of transformation, and some of those changes could be profoundly difficult. The first and most obvious change will be around how RTÉ is run. A chasm has opened up between the board, which is the 12-person body that makes policy, and the executive, which is a committee of senior management responsible for its day-to-day running. Major changes are expected at executive level.
A question that must be asked is whether the RTÉ board is also fit for purpose and whether it has adequate powers. There have been tensions between the board and executive as members of the board feel they are not getting proper answers from those senior managers running RTÉ. Furthermore, former chair Moya Doherty told the Media Committee that there are three ways for a board member to find out important information. One is that information can be given directly by managers and executives. The second is the audited accounts. The third possibility is “walking along the corridors of RTÉ hoping that somebody will come to you to say there is a problem here or a problem there”. Some politicians believe this is not good enough.
Another one of the most important questions facing RTÉ now is: how will RTÉ be funded following this controversy? Talks around licence fee reform have been seriously complicated. RTÉ has a borrowing limit of €100 million under the Broadcasting Act. Total borrowings are understood to be somewhere around €95 million. In the coming weeks the Finance Ministers will sit down with Minister Catherine Martin to talk about how much funding RTÉ should be allocated on budget day. This in turn could impact the size of the organisation and the job it does. Given the reputational damage it is likely RTÉ will experience a commercial hit too, while licence fee evasion may increase which may further compound the problem. In terms of financial accountability, RTÉ's finances may come under the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General once again, although right now this is just a suggestion.
Q: And what about the “talent”, what changes will happen there?
A: We will learn much on Monday when Bakhurst makes his plans known, but the following appears to be on the table. Firstly, the fees paid to the so-called talent will likely be reviewed over time. There is a view that the market has moved on from the high level of salaries being demanded a decade ago. The full contracts of the top earners may also go before a newly-reconstituted executive board so there is total transparency. New presenting contracts or changes to contracts may also be brought under the remit of the remuneration committee. There is also likely to be a new register of interests. Dealings with agents will be reviewed. The balance of power between commercial and public will be re-evaluated.
