Report into ‘goodbye money’ is delayed

RTÉ’S review into ‘goodbye money’ has been delayed after solicitors received queries from those connected with the report.

The long-awaited report into two voluntary exit schemes at RTÉ is further delayed by ‘observations’ from individuals concerned in the review, according to the national broadcaster. In an update to the Public Account Committee (PAC) last week, RTÉ said that work by solicitors in McCann Fitzgerald was continuing.

It said: ‘We have been advised by them that they received comments/observations/queries from an individual on January 12 and that for reasons of due process and fair procedures, they are required to consider same and respond before finalising their report.’

The RTÉ representative added that because of this, ‘regrettably’, they cannot confirm a precise date for the completion of the report.

It emerged after probing from politicians on the PAC last year that the former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe left RTÉ in 2020 under a voluntary exit scheme.

However, her role was not made redundant and her exit package was not signed off by the full executive team.

In July, director general Kevin Bakhurst ordered a review into two recent voluntary exit schemes at RTÉ in 2017 and 2021, to be undertaken by solicitors at McCann Fitzgerald.

RTÉ previously said it expected the reviews into both the Toy Show musical and the voluntary exit schemes to be delivered in the autumn of last year, before extending the expected delivery to Christmas.

However, there is still no date for the expected publication of the voluntary exit scheme review.

RTÉ has also delayed the release of the publication of the earnings for its top ten onair talents for 2022, which was expected before Christmas. A spokesman for the State broadcaster said this list is expected to be published soon.