PAC’s report to recommend RTÉ come under scrutiny of watchdog
A REPORT into RTÉ by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will recommend that the broadcaster come under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
TDs on the committee will meet today to finalise their report after three public hearings on the issues surrounding hidden payments to Ryan Tubridy, the use of a controversial barter account, the €2.2million lost on Toy Show The Musical and a €450,000 non-compliant redundancy package given to former head of finance Breda O’Keeffe.
It is understood one of the report’s recommendations will be for RTÉ to come under the remit of the C&AG again for the first time in more than 30 years. The watchdog regularly audits the accounts of government departments and State agencies. RTÉ’s accounts were previously scrutinised by the C&AG until legislation was changed in 1990.
Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said consideration would be given bringing RTÉ under the auditing watch of the C&AG, but warned there are downsides to doing so. He said: ‘It is a decision that has very significant consequences for RTÉ. RTÉ also has a commercial mandate, and it is important that as we look at how they are audited and the way in which we reach confidence in their financial statements.
‘I’d certainly want to make sure we’re not doing that in such a way that could put them at a disadvantage in the commercial sector and further undermine their efforts to reach a firm commercial footing in the time ahead.’
Politicians on the PAC have only been allowed to view a hard copy of the draft report in person, and tomorrow they will finalise any amendments with a view to publishing it next week. Sources with knowledge of the report said it will chronicle the timeline of issues at the national broadcaster. It is expected its recommendations will include controls designed to combat the ‘big systemic issues at RTÉ’, after the study of three reports – into Tubridy’s misstated pay, the Toy Show musical, and the examination of redundancy schemes.
It’s understood the report will likely make recommendations that certain controls be introduced in RTÉ to avoid ‘siloed thinking’ and ‘solo runs by the director general’.