LET’S KICK RTE PAYOFFS TO CURB

Minister tells Bakhurst to put a cap on ‘golden handshakes’ & ban NDAs

MEDIA Minister Catherine Martin urged RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst to put a cap on any future exit deals from the broadcaster and said confidentiality clauses should be banned.

The Green Party TD summoned both the DirectorGeneral and Siún Ni Raghallaigh, Chair of the RTÉ Board, calling on the pair to make details of ‘golden handshake’ agreements to top executives public.

Minister Martin said she expressed her “concern and frustration” at the ongoing controversy and said it was “undermining the good work” being done to reform RTE and rebuild the public’s trust.

She stressed that “all possible options” needed to be explored for the purpose of clarity and transparency.

Speaking after their meeting,

Minister Martin said: “The DG confirmed to me that he has sought further legal advice as to the levels of disclosure which can be made.

“While I am conscious of the need to respect legal advice, as well as individual employment and privacy rights, I reminded the DG of the important public interest at play which must also be a factor in considering this matter.

Options

“I also asked that he consider all possible options to bring further clarity and transparency to these matters.

“The DG advised me that he expects updated legal advice in the coming days, and that he has committed to making as much information as possible publicly available at the earliest opportunity.”

Minister Martin continued: “I also impressed on the chair and DG, that in the context of any possible future severance arrangements, confidentiality agreements should be avoided if at all possible, and that a cap on the levels of settlements made should be introduced.

“The DG committed to fully examine these proposals.

“This is a critical juncture for RTÉ, and developing a new culture of openness and fairness is essential if trust in the national broadcaster is to be restored.”

Alan Dillon, Fine Gael TD and member of the Oireachtas media committee, said the details of all exit packages of all executives dating back to 2016 are to be published.

Yesterday, Bakhurst said he is not going to resign following controversy around the exit arrangements of senior executives.

The RTE boss said he stands by everything he has done since he took over the post at the embattled national broadcaster.

Trust

Bakhurst has said he is committed to maximum transparency and rebuilding trust in the organisation, which was already engulfed in scandal when he became directorgeneral in July.

But fresh speculation and controversy have also arisen over the details of exit arrangements for senior executives during Bakhurst’s short tenure.

It comes after it was revealed that Rory Coveney, former director of strategy, received a payment following his resignation last year, in the same week that Bakhurst took on the top job.

Mr Coveney was the “driving force” behind Toy Show The Musical, which recorded €2.2 million in losses after a single season in 2022.

The musical also went ahead without receiving formal approval from the RTE Board, according to a report commissioned by the broadcaster.

At the weekend, RTE released a statement on the exit arrangements for Mr Coveney and three other former executives.

Saying he had been restricted by legal advice, Mr Bakhurst said Mr Coveney had agreed to stand down, his role became redundant and an exit payment was offered by RTE and accepted.

The Director-General said RTE expected to recoup the cost of the payment to Mr Coveney by July of this year.

This led to speculation that the payment to Mr Coveney was around €200,000.

RTE also confirmed Geraldine O’Leary, director of commercial, Paula Mullooly, director of legal affairs, and Richard Collins, chief financial officer, received no exit payments.