ANOTHER INVITE TO COMMITTDEE
»»Legal advice taken over issue of compellability »»Evidence could be given in writing or by video link
THE Oireachtas Media Committee has received legal advice to invite Dee Forbes to give evidence on the RTE scandal by video link or in written form before considering any move to compel her to speak.
It comes following repeated invitations from the committee to the former RTE Director General to attend a grilling by politicians over the fiasco at Montrose.
Ms Forbes, who stood down as DG last June, has repeatedly told the committee she is sick and cannot attend a meeting.
The committee has indicated in recent weeks that it would compel her and other people involved in the RTE scandal to attend a meeting if their invitations continued to be declined.
However, the Irish Mirror understands the Oireachtas Media Committee has now received legal advice suggesting that Ms Forbes should be invited to give evidence to the committee either via a video link or through a written submission before considering any move to compel her to speak.
It is understood the letter may be sent in the next number of days. And the Irish Mirror understands the Oireachtas Media Committee is also considering inviting Rory Coveney and Breda O’keeffe to provide written submissions to the committee but a final decision has not yet been taken.
It came as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told his parliamentary party meeting last night that the Government is considering bringing RTE under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for RTE confirmed that Director General Kevin Bakhurst has received new legal advice following a request from Media Minister Catherine Martin to examine confidentiality causes link to exit payments.
A spokesperson said: “RTE has received full legal advice and has shared it with and briefed the Minister.”
However, Montrose has not revealed whether the advice will allow it to provide details of how much was paid to departing top executives. A spokesperson for Minister Martin also confirmed that she received updated legal advice, along with a briefing from RTE chief Mr Bakhurst and the chair of the board Siun Ni Raghallaigh.
The spokesperson added that the minister “will not be commenting until after it is published by RTE”.
The development comes as pressure continues on Mr Bakhurst to reveal how much was given to former director of strategy Mr Coveney and ex-chief financial officer Richard Collins when they left the company.
It has already emerged that another former chief financial officer Breda O’keeffe received a €450,000 redundancy package, which will leave RTE with a tax liability.
Earlier yesterday, the Taoiseach told the Dail confidentiality clauses for RTE exit packages were “the norm”, but that this was “not right”.
Mr Varadkar repeated “that there should be a cap” on the value of such deals which use public money.
He added that “confidentiality clauses should be
avoided by public bodies”, except when explicitly required. “It seems they were the norm rather than the exception in RTE, and that’s not right,” he told the Dail.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Michael Mcgrath has questioned why RTE has “put itself in a straitjacket” by signing confidentiality clauses with those leaving the company with exit packages.
It follows the admission from Mr Bakhurst that the national broadcaster entered into a binding confidentiality clause with its former Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins when he left the company.
He also said that he could not confirm how much Mr Coveney, the former Director of Strategy, was paid when he resigned in July.
Mr Bakhurst indicated in a statement that the cost of the exit package would be recouped by July, suggesting it was in the region of Mr Coveney’s suspected annual salary of €200,000 a year.
However, the DG said politicians were suggesting he should “break the law” by releasing the details.
But Minister Mcgrath said that no one was asking anyone to break the law.
RTE has received full legal advice and shared it
RTE SPOKESMAN YESTERDAY