Staff at the national broadcaster are “gravely disturbed” by the findings of a second report into financial matters at RTÉ, the representative trade union group has said.
Accountants Grant Thornton on Monday submitted a second report on Ryan Tubridy’s pay to the broadcaster, which was published on Wednesday.
The report found that Mr Tubridy’s earnings from 2017 to 2019 were publicly understated due to adjustments made by RTÉ's financial department. Neither Mr Tubridy nor NK Management, which represents him, had any involvement in those adjustments.
In a statement following publication of the review, the RTÉ trade union group (TUG) said its executive met on Wednesday to have a preliminary discussion on the report.
It said it hoped the reviews on corporate governance and HR established by the Government will “provide the framework for dealing with the fundamental issues in the report”.
“The trust that was shattered will not be easy to rebuild, and trade unions will judge RTÉ by the actions and attitude of the management and board of RTÉ from today.”
Seamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, described the latest report as “an arrow through the heart” of the relationship between staff and management.
He said the report confirmed his “worst suspicions” and said there was a “conspiracy” by the broadcaster to conceal the extent of the payment to Mr Tubridy.
On Mr Tubridy’s return to the broadcaster in light of the report, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, chairwoman of the RTÉ board, said it was a matter for director general Kevin Bakhurst, who has previously stated the feelings of staff would be taken into consideration when deciding the matter.
Ms Ní Raghallaigh said she was “glad” the report showed Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly “had not hand, act or part in this element of the understatement” of his pay.
“In relation to Mr Tubridy’s future within RTÉ, that’s a matter for the director general. The board’s obligations under the Broadcasting Act are not in the day-to-day running of the organisation,” she told RTÉ.
She said there appeared to be a 50/50 split in terms of support for Mr Tubridy’s return among staff, but she would like to see a decision made sooner rather than later.
In a statement, Mr Bakhurst said: “Clearly, operational failures identified within the RTÉ finance function significantly contributed to the misstatement of fees paid.
“Understanding this, alongside the insights into the broader governance failures, will be very helpful as we set about wide-scale governance and procedural reform within RTÉ.
“We cannot allow these failures to be repeated, and the focus of the interim leadership team is on implementing the recommendations of the corporate governance adviser, as well as progressing with the implementation of other systemic reforms, such as the register of interests.”
[ RTÉ report on Tubridy pay exposes clash between chief financial officersOpens in new window ]
Mr Tubridy welcomed the publication of the report, adding in a statement: “I also welcome the report’s findings that I did not claim €120,000 in fees which was due to me in 2020 and that I did not agree with how RTÉ proposed to account for this decision.
“It is also clear that my actual income from RTÉ in 2020 and 2021 matches what was originally published as my earnings for those years and RTÉ has not yet published its top 10 earner details for 2022.
“I repeat my offer to publish the details of any future RTÉ contract.
“I am committed to re-establishing the confidence and trust of my colleagues and listeners, and I hope that any fair assessment of the findings of today’s report will help in this regard.
“Finally, I want to acknowledge the huge support that I have received in recent weeks from people across the country; many cards and letters, greetings on the street and words of support from people I bumped into meant an awful lot to me and I appreciate them all very much.”
