Tip-offs from ex-staff sent to legal firm behind report

FORMER RTÉ staff turned on each other once the review of the voluntary exit package was announced, sending ‘unsolicited’ submissions urging lawyers to look at other members of staff who benefited from redundancy schemes. Seven former RTÉ staffers made unsolicited submissions to the legal firm McCann FitzGerald that was tasked with carrying out the review. The submissions ranged from complaints about how their own cases were handled to telling the review to look into other members of staff. One unsolicited communication was provided by a former staff member who had retired from RTÉ in the 1990s. ‘On review, it was noted by McCann FitzGerald that this information long predated the subject matter of this review and was not relevant’ the report states. The second unsolicited communication was sent to the Director General by an employee of RTÉ. This communication suggested that a named former employee should be included in the review. ‘RTÉ confirmed that, notwithstanding that this departure pre-dated the 2017 or 2021 VEPs, this individual’s arrangements should be reviewed, and we proceeded to do so.’

Another related to someone who wanted their own application reviewed.

However the report stated: ‘McCann FitzGerald found no reference to this former employee in the documentation provided to it by RTÉ, and RTÉ confirmed that this individual did not apply for exit under either the 2017 or 2021 VEPs.’

An anonymous submission said that a certain former member of staff should have their VEP reviewed. The legal firm included this person in its review.

The sixth piece of communication was made to RTÉ’s HR team and was a request by a current RTÉ employee to have their ‘unsuccessful application’ for exit, and ‘alleged assurances’ were given to her by a line manager about the chances of success in a VEP application under the 2021 VEP. The legal firm said that this case and others like them would be ‘more appropriately’ considered under RTÉ’s internal policies.

In a final complaint one person, who was still a member of staff, asked that their failed application in the 2021 VEP be reviewed.

The report said: ‘It was clear that the issues raised in the communication were of a nature that would be more appropriately considered through RTÉ’s internal processes.

‘McCann FitzGerald did however consider this individual’s application as part of its assessment of the consistency of decision making.’

Another unsolicited piece of communication related to the arrangements of a former employee who departed RTÉ before the 2017 VEP and whose exit would otherwise have been outside of the scope of the review. However, they were included at the request of the Director General.

This person availed of an early retirement scheme and was also engaged in a ‘long running legal dispute’ with RTÉ which ‘was settled on his departure’.

‘Alleged assurances’ were given to her