RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

Its aged but not badly imho. The Bebe Glazer character is fantastic.

There really is no hope that RTE is going to change. There'll be some sort of weak gesture about Ryan, then he'll be back on the air after his holiday (presumably not with Kevin Bakhurst, just at the same time) blathering his way through with disconnected ramblings. I never understood why they let/got Dee Forbes and Geraldine O'Leary to resign with immediate effect. What happened to gardening leave? I know that they were both due to retire soon anyway, but at least there would have been a chance of getting them in front of the PAC etc, even if they both threw a sickie, whilst they were still on the books.

The whole culture in RTE (at or very near to the top, anyway) stinks to high heavens. Backhanded deals with top talent, the accounts presented in such a way as to be nearly unfathomable, decisions taken in some sort of star chamber fashion, jollies and trips, the barter account(s). You don't just need a forensic accountant, it would take a Crime Scenes Cleaning service to decontaminate and sanitise the whole thing.

I feel so sorry for the people in RTE who do their best to provide a service against all the odds.

But nothing will happen.

Fully agree. You need to put the scare into politicos sometimes, rattle a few cages, let them know who they work for and hear the anger from th people.

The water charge protests was a time I really felt proud for us standing up for ourselves.

It’s not just a matter of Tubridy returning the €150k. It cost RTE almost €300k to pay him the €150k. €150k to him + fees of €80k + €47k paid to stage the 3 Renault events and then I think there was a further €21k of costs discovered related to the staging. Then there is the original €75K for the 3 events that were held - RTE also paid this

I would really like to meet a few RTÉ staff who do their best to provide a service against all the odds, are they are not just part of all this drifting along, generally a good job (average wage €61k), good perks. What should be an interesting job, but looks to me like they've all created the drudgery of 9 to 5.

The Rehab continues with this article... did he not notice it before?

Crazy, basically RTÉ are on holidays until Sept, and they will look at it all then. I'd image they will actually have an autumn launch. Beggars belief.

This popped up on my feed

Dee Forbes and Breda O'Keeffe among RTÉ execs who asked government for funds more than 50 times (thejournal.ie)

Dee Forbes and Breda O'Keeffe among RTÉ execs who asked government for funds more than 50 times.

Analysis of lobbying returns shows dozens of pleas from RTÉ since 2017.

RTÉ EXECUTIVES HAVE lobbied senior Government figures about funding dozens of times in recent years, while making controversial use of three barter accounts and spending hundreds of thousands on voluntary redundancies during that time.

An analysis of returns on the State’s Lobbying Register shows that the broadcaster has contacted successive taoisigh and media ministers, as well as various TDs and secretaries general, more than 50 times about funding since 2016.

It cost RTE €75k x 3 plus the costs of staging those 3 ridiculous events plus the barter account fees of €80k. Overall a total of €373k so that is what he owes the licence payers

it’s a pity the committee did not put a simple question to him: Mr Tubridy u say that the Renault thing was a separate deal u had with them. Why then did RTE pay the costs of staging the 3 events?

Does anyone know of any pop star etc who puts on concerts but does not pay for the cost of staging same from the takings?

Lobbied for funds to build up the account for their Golden Handshakes.

Where would you get it!

i think that the perception that NK is being marginalised by KB is the vehicle that will be used to re-introduce Ryan Tubridy to the radio schedule. Kevin will be able to play the hard man - "look how i sidelined the agent so I could deal directly with the compassionate star, beloved of children throughout the land. How could I deny the listening public the man they desire so whole heartedly?"

it looks like Ryan is in the driving seat, wanting an answer in the next fortnight. WTAF? I'd make him wait until I was good and ready. Arrogance personified.