Cabinet split on need to expand review
CABINET ministers are divided on the need for a deeper review of historical exit packages at RTÉ.
An independent review into a 2017 voluntary exit programme (VEP), carried out by legal firm McCann Fitzgerald for RTÉ and published on Wednesday, found the roles had to be filled ‘within a short time period’, which it believes made it contrary to the legal redundancy requirements.
The report states that ten VEPs were approved and termination payments, including statutory redundancy payments, were paid.
However, in the view of McCann Fitzgerald, they did not ‘satisfy the requirements of a redundancy within the meaning of the Redundancy Payments Acts’.
It also found that the exit package for
RTÉ’s former chief financial officer, Breda O’Keeffe, was not considered or approved by executives at the national broadcaster. The report prompted RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst to notify the Revenue Commissioner that there may be tax implications arising from the findings.
However, the review only looked at exit packages from 2017 onwards. Asked if there was a need for a new review to probe VEPs prior to 2017, Media Minister Catherine Martin said she believed the Mr Bakhurst ‘is satisfied it’s the 2017 and 2021 voluntary exit schemes that needed to be investigated’. However, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said that ‘there might well be’ a need for a further examination of VEPs at Montrose. He described the findings of the report as ‘an egregious breach of trust, yet again, by RTÉ, between RTÉ and the public and between RTÉ and its own staff’. Ms Martin said that a series of reports into RTÉ finances point to ‘dysfunctionality’ at the public service broadcaster, adding: ‘It’s quite shocking that the executive put rules and procedures in place to govern the voluntary exit schemes and then do not adhere to them themselves.
‘So some staff have the rules rigidly applied, but there’s (another) rule for the others, and that’s an appalling culture that existed at the time.’
Ms Martin also said that two reports due at the end of the month would represent a ‘crucial piece of the puzzle in bringing stability to RTÉ’ ,as they will include recommendations on what needs to be done.
The two government reviews into culture, governance and HR at RTÉ are due by the end of February. ‘I think what we need to really focus on is making sure it never happens again,’ Ms Martin added.