Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
331. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when her Department was first alerted to the fact that RTÉ had entered an agreement to guarantee an annual income of €75,000 to an employee (details supplied). [32174/23]
View answerRTÉ and public service broadcasting have been badly damaged by revelations in relation to RTÉ over the past week. I am extremely concerned at the details which have emerged in a number of RTÉ statements and at the Oireachtas hearings that took place last week.
On Thursday, 22nd June, RTÉ provided me with a copy of their full statement in advance of the Board making its public statement on the matter. I spoke with the Chair of the Authority, shortly before the Statement was published.
Today, Government agreed the terms of reference of an independent examination of RTÉ, and the appointment of two Expert Advisory Committees, composed of experts in their field, to oversee the two different strands of this examination. The examination will be supported by professional services firms engaged by my Department.
I will also invoke my powers under section 109(7)(a) of the Broadcasting Act to appoint a forensic accountant to examine the books or other records of account of RTÉ in respect of any financial year or other period. This will initially direct its focus on the barter account and address any other off-balance sheet accounts.
I have also asked RTÉ to seek to expedite as soon as possible the further report by Grant Thornton in respect of the period 2017-2019
It is critical for RTÉ to engage openly and constructively with the external review and the Oireachtas Committees in relation to these matters, as a first step in restoring the trust of the Irish people in RTÉ and public service broadcasting.
