Ryan Tubridy received €345,000 in secret additional payments from RTÉ from 2017 up to 2023. The company was engaged in a massive cost-cutting program during that time and the station implemented a 15% salary reduction. RTÉ is being questioned by the Oireachtas Media Committee and the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee. According to RTÉ, Dee Forbes, the former director general of the company, is the only person who was aware of all the details relating to the additional payments to Tubridy. It is clear that she is a scapegoat and the government believes that this is an absurd explanation!
Here's a summary and a few thoughts about the controversy.
1. Lack of transparency and accountability. Dee Forbes, who has been suspended from her position as director general of RTÉ, was asked by the aforementioned government committees to attend the committee meetings. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee are asking Ryan Tubridy, his agent Noel Kelly, and Dee Forbes to appear before the committee, to tell their stories and answer questions. Dee Forbes says she is now sick because of this crisis! Tubridy and Kelly say they will answer questions soon, but we don't have more information as I write the column. In my opinion, this duty should be one of the conditions of employment for them, regardless of anything else. Shouldn't people in public offices or other positions of trust be held accountable? The government is able to subpoena people to come before the Oireachtas, but it is quite complicated to do that, especially in the case of Dee Forbes because she is ill and she is no longer working in RTÉ. In any case, the government is giving invitations to the people mentioned above, and if necessary they will be forced to attend meetings organized by the Oireachtas Public Accounts committee.
2. 'Slush Fund'. RTÉ Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins appeared before the Oireachtas and brought new things to light. RTÉ had a special bank account, from which they made the additional payments to Tubridy. This 'swap' account, which usually contained more than €1 million, was used to spend €275,000 on sporting events (travel, tickets and hotels) – Rugby World Cup, Champions League (ten year tickets ), IRFU matches and European soccer, included – stay tuned for flip flops! Collins said that the tax payers might be betrayed! RTÉ will undoubtedly have other questions to answer about this fund, especially as it was discovered very briefly that there are three accounts of this kind involved! Public Expenditure Minister Pascal Donohoe said the government will seek financial reports going back several years, to gain a deeper understanding of the controversy.
3. Agent. Noel Kelly is a very powerful man, agent not only for Tubridy, but for other big names too – including Dave Fanning, Kathryn Thomas, Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates. He is a middleman, who takes a 15% commission from his client's salary. Kelly will undoubtedly have many questions to answer. But don't forget one thing: even though Kelly is able to advise his clients, they are the ones in charge and they are the ones who give him instructions. In that way, Tubridy owns the documentation regarding the financial arrangements he was demanding. At first, Tubridy didn't accept that responsibility, but he promptly changed his tune after a while. In my opinion, RTÉ should negotiate salaries directly with their employees without any agent present.
4. Too much money. When too much money is involved, there are always problems, and greed corrupts. Therefore, there is a need for external supervision of companies and a power to punish companies that break the rules. In RTÉ's case, the gate is being closed after the horse has bolted.
Conclúid
We are only at the beginning of the investigation now, and we still have a lot to learn about what has been going on in RTÉ for several years. All the truth will come out, probably, and then the government will have to make a decision so that this does not happen again. I hope that an external oversight organization will be put in place with the necessary powers and will keep a close eye on the new RTÉ and any other organizations that use our taxes to operate.
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