RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

ZookeeperDub · 17-07-2023 12:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120860395#Comment_120860395

he said it…

17-07-2023 2:22am

There’s no way RT is going to pay “it” back, at best he might virtue signal and say “I’ve given it to charity”, without any way for Joe Public to fact check. If somebody asks for details he’ll respond “ Modesty forbids me to broadcast any specific figure I might give to charity, I’m not that kind of person who tries to impress by telling of such details, I’m a person of honour and money has not changed my soul. It is well known the causes I support so I’ll say no more on that”.

toggle toes · 17-07-2023 8:09am

Dee Firbes considering sueing RTE for the way she was portrayed at both meetings. I still think she needs to come forward and give her side of the story when she is back to good health. If not for her own mental but for the Irish public to hear the truth.

Penn · 17-07-2023 8:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861123#Comment_120861123

He'd have to pay it back rather than charity. His only claim to having the money in the first place was that it was an agreed fee he was to be paid for doing appearances for Renault. If those events don't go ahead even though he's been paid in advance for them, his only recourse is to pay it back to RTE (either directly or through the Astus account as they were the ones he was paid through). Otherwise it's obvious the money was mostly just intended to be a top-up of his salary by RTE.

He's been paid for a service he hasn't provided. His only way out of that is to repay the money directly.

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 9:46am

I see there’s a report in the indo online behind a paywall detailing €26,000 spent on hotel costs for 2 nights for 6 people to the 2019 Champions League Final in Madrid. €2,150+ per person per night …..plus tickets, plus flights, plus transfers, plus meals, plus drinks…..

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-spent-26000-on-two-nights-for-six-people-in-hotel-for-champions-league-final-trip/a596911173.html

Not by any means excusing that’s junket but I wonder was that Ms O’Leary and 5 guests; or Ms. O’Leary and her husband and two guests with +1s? That’s a good FOI request for the journalists out there.

Northernlily · 17-07-2023 9:47am

Not content with pillaging the tax payer a few of these leaches will show their contempt towards Irish society by seeing an opportunity legal action for more financial gain.

Vile the lot of them, absolutely vile!

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 10:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861300#Comment_120861300

In order to do so she’ll have to provide evidence contrary to what has been said, and I can’t see her appearing before a judge (let alone an Oireachtas committee) anytime soon. A kite flying exercise I suspect.

Cluedo Monopoly · 17-07-2023 10:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861577#Comment_120861577

Do we know who the 6 people were?

squonk · 17-07-2023 10:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861682#Comment_120861682

Yes and you’d imagine if her health has improved to the point where she can initiate legal proceedings against RTE, that the PAC might also be interested in talking to her. Irregardless of her health, she has managed to stay out of the controversy so far. I wouldn’t open that can of worms if I was her at this stage.

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 10:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861722#Comment_120861722

O'Leary is one. Working on the others but have a fair idea who they are.

I have the names of those who went to Japan and I'd expect a fair degree of cross-pollination in those lists. I do know they're not identical however.

Cluedo Monopoly · 17-07-2023 10:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861738#Comment_120861738

It's obvious O'Leary was splashing the cash everywhere for years. The question is whether she will get away with so much taxpayer waste. The arrogance is astounding and playing the mental health card was completely dishonest.

HildaOgdenx · 17-07-2023 10:30am

According to the article it was G O'L, RTE's head of sales and four advertisers who made up the six.

'The four advertisers who accompanied RTÉ on the trip were collectively responsible for a spend of €8m with RTÉ in the previous year,” the spokesperson added.'

squonk · 17-07-2023 10:34am

If a group of advertisers have really spent 8m with you the previous year I don’t see a substantial issue in extending hospitality to them and given the sum involved in their spend, 26k is small. IMHO the real issue here is whether GO’L would be normally expected/required to be on these trips of if ° invited herself along.

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861577#Comment_120861577

Just on this because I think it's important. I've in my time heard of lots of these types of trips, I've also been offered a few but soccerball and golf aren't really my thing so I've never gone. When I have heard about of been offered these trips however it's always been either a same day quick "in and out"*, or, if flights don't suit/aren't available it's a one night stay - max. RTE of course do 2 nights at a €2K per head per night hotel.

*I was for example offered a match ticket and flights and hospitality to an Ireland England Rugby game in Twickenham a few years ago (just before Covid). The itinerary for the day was an approx. 11am flight to Heathrow, short transfer to Twickenham for lunch at 1, match at 3 (from memory) and an appox. 8/9pm flight home. No over night, and to be fair to the people who invited me there was a "warning" of sorts not to drink and drive which I thought was very responsible on their part - and also I guess some sort of legal disclaimer. It didn't apply to me anyway as I don't ever drink and drive, and I also don't drink at concerts or sporting events as I want to enjoy the experience and not be pissed. And to be absolutely transparent on this, I didn't take up this offer as I was already going myself at my own expense.

Tow · 17-07-2023 10:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861779#Comment_120861779

As far as I can see, the largest advertisers on RTE (radio anyway) are State Organisations.

mickdw · 17-07-2023 10:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861779#Comment_120861779

I don't see an issue with that level of spend versus 8 million advertising spend with rte. That is expected in business. It would be expected that the rte person would act as host also so G O L going along is not really unexpected.

RoTelly · 17-07-2023 10:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120856819#Comment_120856819

Again there are better people to talk about this, his clout was that he was able to be part of the secretive stickies in RTÉ during that period, Harris would not have been totally to blame or would have acted alone. IMO there was a lot of political pressure on RTÉ through out the 60s, 70s and 80s, even into the mid-90s from all sides. A common situation across Europe during that period. And there is probably still some political pressure and groupthink in RTÉ.

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 10:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861756#Comment_120861756

I agree to a point, and there is a place for corporate hospitality. There was however no need for 2 nights as per my previous post. There's absolutely no need for 2 nights at a €2k per head per night hotel. That trip could just as easily have been 1 night at a far cheaper hotel. Let's be honest here, if it was €500 a night people would still (rightly) be angry - most people on boards I would wager have never stayed in a €500 per night hotel room. It seems when RTE do junkets they want to be seen to be the biggest and best/most extravagant at it.

I know it was the Champions League Final but Madrid is not Dublin and the price inflation wouldn't be remotely the same as here. The Spanish Hotel Industry is not known for gouging like the Irish Hotel Industry is. Madrid is also a big enough city to host and accommodate an event like this without it materially impacting the room rate.

I k now someone who was at that game on their own ticket. I'll ask them what they paid for their hotel by comparison; I should have an answer by the end of the day I suspect if not sooner.

RoTelly · 17-07-2023 10:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120857119#Comment_120857119

KB won't succeed if RTÉ continue their PR run that they are currently try to trash out.

They highlighted the retirement of a sound engineer with RTÉ Radio, and had the MD of News and CA give her a bunch of flowers. All their PR staff and staff are trying to get the public on side on social media. But they never once mention the audience.

Media are helping with this it a massive onslaught to rehabilitate RTÉ before September.

HildaOgdenx · 17-07-2023 10:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861838#Comment_120861838

I agree to a point, and there is a place for corporate hospitality. There was however no need for 2 nights as per my previous post. There's absolutely no need for 2 nights at a €2k per head per night hotel. That trip could just as easily have been 1 night at a far cheaper hotel.

Totally agree.

Obviously there were no limits when it came to splashing the cash around by and for certain RTE staff, though. 😡

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 10:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861756#Comment_120861756

To be clear, when articles like this say advertisers they mean Media Buying Agencies, not the brands themselves. Just in case anyone thinks the Marketing Manager from Pat the Baker is going on these trips.......

The Japan list for example is made up of senior people from Media Buying Agencies.

RoTelly · 17-07-2023 10:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861824#Comment_120861824

The issue is that RTÉ played the poor man for 14 years, while spending on a wide range of luxuries that they said they could not afford. If RTÉ had been honest about how they cut content (by the way an important part of selling advertising is the content that you have for the audience) then maybe it might different. But these small sums add up.

To me its like a child that goes a robs a Biscuits from the packet, just one and no more, 10 mins later no one is around, another and another and then the packet is finished.

limnam · 17-07-2023 11:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120860967#Comment_120860967

I'm providing the clip for you at 27s in

https://youtu.be/h-2e-KwTNwA

Can you provide the quote or the section where he stated he would only pay it back if he was asked?

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 11:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861800#Comment_120861800

You've made a valid point here, but it's a little more nuanced than that. Advertisers don't buy directly with RTE or any other TV or radio station. They buy through a Media Buying Agency. This isn't an added layer with no value, Agencies buy in bulk and get significant discounts on their bulk buying so it genuinely is much more cost-effective to do this.

So take for example if the Department of Social Welfare run a TV, Radio, Print, Cinema, and Outdoor Ad Campaign. They don't buy the advertising space directly with RTE - they buy it through a Media Agency. So RTE and the other media owners don't get a cheque from the Department of Social Welfare, they get it from the Media Buying Agency. So RTE and the Media Buying Agency have the commercial relationship, not RTE and the Dept. of Social Welfare.

If you want to know who went on that trip, follow the money.................look at who the biggest Media Buying Agencies are in Dublin, and then who their senior people are.

It's the same for Japan. I know who went on the japan trip, I've previously posted this fact without naming the people - which I won't do. But I'm shocked and a bit disappointed no journalist has managed to get these names yet - it's not that hard tbh. I can confirm that at least one of those on the Japan trip was not at the Champions League Final, so there will be some difference in the lists.

limnam · 17-07-2023 11:08am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861738#Comment_120861738

It's fairly obvious why she hasted her retirement

Furze99 · 17-07-2023 11:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861850#Comment_120861850

If true, this is a critical point - the junkets being not for actual advertisers who make goods, generate wealth and pay the bills. But for RTE sales staff and agents who represent the advertisers. If so, that stinks even more.

Gusser09 · 17-07-2023 11:11am

Why not post the names of who went on the Japan knees up? An absolute throwback to tiger levels of waste and over indulgence and entitlement. Fas type stuff.

Looking like tubridy will slowly rebuild his career and sneak back in. The narrative in a lot of quarters is about how he was the victim. Disgusting stuff.

Furze99 · 17-07-2023 11:15am

The point above about the state itself being a substantial advertiser on RTE is deserving of more detail. Whether the state books the ads direct or through an agency - this is tax payers money going to RTE. What proportion I wonder of RTE's commercial income is in fact from the tax payer by an other route?

RoTelly · 17-07-2023 11:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861946#Comment_120861946

About 50% of indo productions get their funding across a number of avenues, one of those is support from state agencies, e.g. SFI, EPA, IUA, CPCC and so on. And I have seen emails from the CPCC and from RTÉ relating to its sponsorship of How To Be Good With Money and I did not see any reference to an advertising agency.

ButtersSuki · 17-07-2023 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861920#Comment_120861920

She wasn't going anywhere until her conversation with KB. That much was obvious, and confirmed by her comments afterwards

It was more her retirement was hastened for her rather than she hastened it.

RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

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