Drip feed of information has caused ‘untold harm’ to RTE – media minister

Ireland’s media minister says she has made clear to incoming RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst that she was “not satisfied” with the way the broadcaster had released information.

RTE has been under scrutiny over its governance and finance operations after undeclared payments to its star presenter and highest earner, Ryan Tubridy.

Questions have since been raised about the use of its barter account and commercial expenditure.

“The drip feed of information over the past two weeks has been another blow to RTE and has caused untold harm,” Catherine Martin told reporters on Thursday.

It was a constructive meeting with a full and frank exchange of views

She said there was an opportunity “to press reset”, and at the end of the process “we’ll have a stronger, better RTE”.

She was speaking outside her department after a meeting with Mr Bakhurst, RTE chairwoman Siun Ni Raghallaigh and interim deputy director general Adrian Lynch.

“It was a constructive meeting with a full and frank exchange of views,” Ms Martin said.

“I expressed my concerns about staff morale at RTE and the damage that has been done to the relationship between RTE and the Oireachtas. I emphasised to the incoming director general that it is now critical that he works, from day one on Monday, to change the tone and culture between the executive and the board and staff.

“I expressed my disappointment at the lack of engagement the executive has had with staff in the past two weeks, and I welcome that RTE senior management will meet RTE trade unions tomorrow about the ongoing crisis at the broadcaster.

“In the spirit of beginning a real and meaningful reset, I also stressed that the new DG must take immediate steps to publicly speak on Monday to the widening gulf between RTE and its most important stakeholder, its audience – a relationship that has been so considerably damaged in this debacle.

“The director general committed to full cooperation with the independent root-and-branch examination and the forensic accountant that will be appointed next week, and it was agreed that these actions would complement the work and reform of RTE that he is planning.

“Mr Bakhurst reassured me of his plans to reconstitute the executive board, his plans to engage with staff and to introduce new processes to restore confidence in the management in RTE. I now expect these to be addressed promptly.”

Ms Martin said she is “satisfied” with Mr Bakhurst’s plan to reconfigure the senior team at RTE.

“I’m also aware, you could see yesterday, the damage between the board and the executive, and I think his intention to act on Monday will help heal that as well,” she added.

Ms Martin added she is legally prohibited from announcing plans to change the management of RTE, and said on Monday that Mr Bakhurst would announce “his plans to build trust back in RTE, his plans for the executive, his plans to restore a trustful relationship between the executive and the board, and all other issues that have come to light”.

When asked whether she would advise members of the public to pay their TV licence fee, Ms Martin said: “I’m not going to advise anyone. I think what I’m saying is we must remember the good of public service broadcasting.

“We must remember the staff when people are making these decisions, the staff who are hurting, the staff who feel betrayed, the staff who need RTE, it is their job of work.”

Ms Martin said barter account expenses were discussed at the meeting.

“Yes, and I would have said that that is something that absolutely needs to be changed, and he ensured me that the processes would be put in place to reform that, so we have proper governance.

“The extravagance is something that needs to be assessed but he assured me he’s got processes in place to prohibit that in future.”

In relation to a car loaned to a staff member, Ms Martin said: “I said that was also something that was of deep dissatisfaction, and that I’d hope they’d be in a position to reveal more detail on that in the future.”