Dáil broadcasts cut but 6% raise for top earners
RTÉ’S Six One news programme will not broadcast live from the Dáil when it resumes next week because of budget constraints, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
The revelation comes as the cost-cutting regime announced by new director general Kevin Bakhurst swings into action.
In response to queries from the MoS, an RTÉ spokesman confirmed outside broadcasts are among the first victims of the station’s reduced output.
‘RTÉ’s Six One news will not now broadcast live from Culture Night or from the Dáil when it returns next week,’ he said.
The programming cuts were signalled by RTÉ’s Group Financial Controller Mike Fives at an Oireachtas committee hearing this week.
He told TDs and senators: ‘The level of coverage that we are going to be able to provide will obviously have to be reduced.
‘There are actions that we are taking. There are initiatives that we have undertaken to freeze new hires and to look at discretionary spending, OBs [outside broadcasts], and travel, and slightly change the model to close some of that gap.
‘We budgeted for a deficit of around €7m. Obviously, we have had a significant drop in licence fee sales so our current estimate at the current rate of 30% would be the €21m that we spoke about. That would be a deficit of around €28m,’ he said.
However, the huge deficit won’t stop members of RTÉ’s Executive Board – who voted to give themselves a 10% increase in wages last year – from receiving a 6% increase over the next two years.
A pay deal agreed between management and unions last year will see all RTÉ staff salaries increase by 6% over the next two years.
RTÉ confirmed that these pay increases are still going to be honoured, despite the station’s dire financial circumstances.
Staff members who are among the top earners at the station – including presenters Bryan Dobson (€209,282), Mary Wilson (€196,961), Áine Lawlor (€183,662) and George Lee (€179,131) – will also get the pay rise.
The cost of this 6% pay rise will be €5m this year and another €9m in 2024.
Asked this weekend whether every RTÉ staff member will get the 6% increase, including executives, a spokesman replied: ‘The pay agreement between RTÉ and the TUG applies to all staff.
‘These are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis.’
Under proposals, staff would receive a 3% increase in January 2023, backdated to December 26, 2022, a 1.5% increase on October 30, 2023, and another 1.5% on April 30, 2024. As part of the agreement, staff would also receive a non-taxable voucher of up to €1,000 in early 2023 and another of €500 in January 2024.
Unions had initially lodged a claim for a 9.5% pay increase for staff, saying there had not been an increase at RTÉ in 16 years.