RTÉ told they have ‘lost the dressing room’
Embattled Minister is set to be only witness in f inal showdown this week
RTÉ were told by senior politicians this weekend their ‘lethargic’ response to the crisis engulfing the station has lost them ‘the public and political dressing room’.
In an Irish Times poll on Saturday, 40% of the public said they do not intend to pay their TV licence, while 78% believe the station should resolve its difficulties by cutting costs.
New director general Kevin Bakhurst said last week the public broadcaster would produce a ‘highlevel plan’ at the end of October,.
He said it will set out RTÉ’s vision for the coming years ‘to ensure we can continue to serve audiences in a rapidly evolving media landscape’.
However, his assurances were brusquely dismissed yesterday by Fianna Fáil Minister of State Niall Collins, who told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘RTÉ need to bring out its plan quickly and certainly before the Budget.
‘All other departments have to make a case for taxpayer funding and they do not have the entitlement to be an exception.’
He added: ‘The station has experienced, justly, a serious erosion of credibility and the leakage is continuing.’
Brian Stanley, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also warned poll figures ‘indicate the public have lost confidence in the station’.
‘Scoping plans are not a sufficient response to this crisis,’ he said. ‘The station has lost the public dressing room and it needs to be far more transparent and accountable.’
Mr Stanley’s position was echoed by one minister, who tersely observed: ‘So the reform plan is scheduled for after the Budget and after the bailout – that’s convenient. RTÉ needs to be aware they have lost the dressing room when it comes to political trust in the station. Decisions on bailouts have not been made yet.’
The station’s ongoing troubles are also believed to be impacting the political standing of Green Party Deputy Leader and Arts Minister Catherine Martin.
The under-fire minister is expected to come under pressure at a specially-convened meeting of the Media Committee on the future of RTÉ this week.
Ms Martin is the only witness scheduled to appear at the threehour committee sitting, which offers TDs and senators their last opportunity to find out what RTÉ’s plans for reform are prior to the expected €55m bailout.
Commenting on Ms Martin’s appearance – after a summer of silence broken by just one press conference – one Media Committee member said: ‘It offers the Minister a great opportunity to outline her views, as the Minister in charge of the station, on what direction our national broadcaster needs to take. We await them with interest.’
They added: ‘RTÉ do not appear to be in a great hurry in that regard, so it is up to Catherine to fill the vacuum.’
Niamh Smyth, Chairperson of the Media Committee, said: ‘The Committee is looking forward to hearing the Minister outline what future beyond the current one of crisis management RTÉ can expect.’
Others, however, were less optimistic with one senior Fine Gael figure warning: ‘There is absolutely no indication to suggest that Catherine Martin has this crisis under control. She has been the invisible minister through this crisis and indeed through the whole ministry. The contrast between her and predecessors
‘There has been a serious erosion of credibility ’
‘She’s been the invisible minister through this’
like Michael D is astonishing and concerning. Michael D set up a television station, TG4, whilst in power. She is watching a station collapse.
They added: ‘It is as if she decided as a strategy to be as invisible as possible so as to stay out of trouble so she will be re-elected in Dublin Rathdown. Instead, the opposite will be the case.’
‘She is without a shred of credibility. She needs to show this week that she is in charge of the ministry and that there is a plan. RTÉ’s one is certainly invisible – it’s nearly as invisible as the minister.’