‘Hopes’ for RTE change
MINISTER GIVES NOD TO REPORTS
MEDIA Minister Catherine Martin has said she “hopes” recommendations in two expert reports commissioned to examine RTÉ will be implemented by the national broadcaster.
She confirmed earlier this week that she had received two reports commissioned last year on governance and culture and HR. There is also a separate report on the “barter account” that was labelled a “slush fund” at the height of the spending controversy last summer.
RTÉ reported yesterday that the reports found that there was “poor governance” in RTÉ but that no one “gained personally” from the barter account. It also suggested that the RTÉ Board was not told about the decision to set up the account.
It was also reported that the reports contain a recommendation that the Government should legislate to provide a more certain funding stream for RTÉ.
Speaking yesterday, Minister Martin refused to be drawn on the contents of the reports but stated that she hopes that the recommendations within them will be accepted by RTÉ.
She confirmed that Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan have now been given the reports for consideration.
“The two reports on governance and culture and, indeed, HR are the ones that have of most significance,” Ms Martin said.
“Those two are the only ones since this crisis emerged that will have and do have recommendations.
“That’s why there are [of] such significance. [There are] recommendations for RTÉ and, of course, there’ll be some there for ourselves [in Government] too.
Detailed
“I’ve been giving them detailed consideration for the last number of days, and I have given them to the leaders now too.
“It would be my hope [that the recommendations will be implemented]. I think it’s important that they would be positively received from RTÉ and that we can move forward.
“I think we need to move into the forward-looking piece now “Of course, there’s an onus on us too. Part of that is a decision on the sustainable funding model for RTÉ.”
Minister Martin said that it would be “inappropriate” to comment on the reports before they are brought to Cabinet. They will be published once they have been discussed by the Cabinet.