Older RTE staffers’ heads not being turned by exit package

THE much-talked about RTE redundancy scheme is well under way with booklets distributed and one-on-one meetings with financial advisers in full swing.

For its restructuring plan to work, it needs around 250 people to take the package, capped at two years’ salary.

RTE cannot be seen to be ageist but it is particularly keen to move on the over-55s. Not only are they among the best paid, they also have defined benefit scheme pensions, with around 200 staffers still on the scheme.

But I hear that the response from that group has been disappointing, so RTE mightn’t get the numbers it needs.

As revealed by this newspaper, officials at the Department of Public Expenditure raised their eyebrows at the generosity of the package when compared with other public sector deals. But with the media market on shaky ground, perhaps the over55s have been around long enough to know when to stick with a good thing.

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Former secretary general of the European Commission Catherine Day has been appointed chair of Chester Beatty Library, taking over from outgoing chairman TP Hardiman, a former director general of RTE.

The Dublin woman has had a lengthy career in Europe, in which she worked in the cabinets of commissioners Richard Burke, Peter Sutherland and Leon Brittan.

Day was secretary general of the European Commission from 2005 until 2015 and notably was the first woman to hold this position.

Day described the Chester Beatty Library as one of the most significant cultural institutions in Ireland. “Increased visitor numbers and positive visitor reactions show that our visitors are delighted to discover the treasures that were gifted to the people of Ireland by Chester Beatty.”

She is currently a special adviser to the president of the Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, who last week sparked renewed debate on Irish treasures of a different kind.