TOY SHOW FIASCO: NO RECORD OF APPROVAL
Minister given Grant Thornton report
A REPORT into the bungled Toy Show The Musical project is expected to confirm there is “no written record” of the idea being approved by the RTE Board.
The broadcaster furnished Media Minister Catherine Martin with a copy of its report on the controversial project yesterday.
The musical, held in the Dublin Convention Centre during Christmas 2022, amassed losses of €2.2million.
It was marred by controversy from the start, with a spate of cancelled performances leaving audiences disappointed. In some instances, the shows were cancelled while people were in their seats.
The latest Grant Thornton report, commissioned by the RTE Board, is expected to be released in the coming days. RTE has reported that it will suggest there is no written record of the Board ever granting its approval for the show. A spokesperson for Minister Martin
said she has “received the RTE commissioned report into Toy Show The Musical from RTE and will give it due consideration over the coming days. She will not be commenting until then, and until it has been published by RTE.” However, asked yesterday if she thought the report meant that people who are still working in RTE that were involved in the musical should consider their position, Ms Martin once again stated that she would not comment until it was published in full.
She said: “It’s quite a detailed report and I’m going through that now and as I said, I won’t comment on it until RTE publish their own report.”
A spokeswoman for the RTE Board, meanwhile, said the report would be published “as soon as possible”, adding: “The Report has been furnished to the ARC and the RTE Board, and also subsequently to the Minister. The Report will be published as soon as possible.”