RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

Field east · 30-10-2023 09:24AM

Did Revenue rule yet on the Contract for Employment and the Contract of Employment issue. The courts have just ruled that Domino’s, the pizza company, have to hire delivery staff under the Contract of Employment regulation - they will now have rights re sick leave, pension, holidays, etc. the company could use theirs individuals to work in the kitchen , assemble boxes, collect goods, work in the stores, etc

most of RTE talent are on Contract for employment because it pays them financially. They could be with RTE for the last 20 years ++ doing different jobs - starting off ‘polishing shoes’, then doing a bit of office work/ administration, then research, followed by copresenting on radio or TV, then their own show - Contract for Employment followed by another Contract For Employment followed by…………..- then 5 years of a LLS presentation, followed by the same and not forgetting about doing a bit of stand in for someone on holidays, or out ssick

i see no difference, in principal, between the Dominos and the RTE re how work is structured

i’d say that it would be impossible , up to now at least , to be sacked from RTE. Can anyone name any RTE ‘employee ‘ that ‘got the boot’. The last 4or 5 left of their own accord

It’s a job for life. No matter what it will find ‘slot’ for its ‘top talent’ at least

Brendan Bendar · 30-10-2023 09:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300635#Comment_121300635

Indeed Ozzie, now I'm not going to focus on Drivetime as there is a separate thread for that, but if you ever listen to the 'Today Show' on BBC radio 4

they know how to have a bit of 'genuine banter' when the occasion arises, not the contrived predictable bolloxology served up on Drivetime.

Thats my last word here on that subject.

Oscar_Madison · 30-10-2023 09:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300645#Comment_121300645

Ozzie?

Oscar_Madison · 30-10-2023 09:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300639#Comment_121300639

Ongoing - I believe 100s of RTÉ workers are in the mix for backdated benefits of all sorts - don’t know how it will end but guaranteed it will cost the tax payer a hell of a lot of money and will put the Tubridy debacle into Mickey Mouse territory of seriousness

blackbox · 30-10-2023 10:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300666#Comment_121300666

They should also have a lot of backdated taxes. For example, a contractor will have been claiming expenses and tax relief for travelling to work. An employee is not entitled to this.

Furze99 · 30-10-2023 10:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297218#Comment_121297218

Claire Byrne does work hard - she clearly prepares very well and has her questions lined up. But and it's a very big but, once the interview starts straying a bit and the interviewee yields some interesting insight or makes a faux pax, it seems to pass her by completely. She doesn't react and adapt in the interview, just moves onto the next question. Reminds me of someone who got high grades in exams by swotting answers and learning rote replies to expected questions. Style over substance a lot of the time. Hairdresser radio at others - definitely not €300K hairdressing.

30-10-2023 12:04PM

I like Claire Byrne but she is not a patch on Sean O Rourke. drive time is drivel, they are apeing Newstalk it's the dumbing down and social media issue.

, it's the same with Brendan OConner he is a good journalist but the constant mental health or food and mental health and similar drives me nuts, and again not a patch on Marion.

There will be a return to serious journalism at some stage.

MrMusician18 · 30-10-2023 12:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301028#Comment_121301028

I don't think there will be a return to serious journalism as there isn't any money in the high brow stuff, in a small market like Ireland.

I also think you are remembering Marion with rose tinted spectacles. Her radio show, particularly in her last few years was phoned in, consisting of four or five buddies of her reading the papers on air.

Micheal Varadkar · 30-10-2023 12:32PM

The dumbing down of RTE radio 1 has been done slowly but surely. This whole text us on 51551 wasn't a thing on Drivetime at all until recent years. The Today program used to be hard news but now it and the 9am show are almost identical. RTE aren't the only ones though, Today fms last word also went from hard news to lite magazine in recent years.

Caquas · 30-10-2023 01:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301043#Comment_121301043

Sadly, you're right on both counts.

Imagine if Irish people decided to finance serious journalism so that it wasn't dependent on "clicks and views" and, equally, wasn't dependent on the government of the day. And so that it would also be independent of vested interests and with no hidden agendas.

Imagine if Irish people paid a modest sum, say a tenner a month for every household. That's €216 Million a year. That would fund a national broadcaster worthy of the name. But obviously not an army of overpaid executives and "stars" paid millions while phoning it in, plus unlimited pension obligations unfunded by gangs of tax-dodgers disguised as "contractors".

DWTS and the like would find their proper home in a commercial TV channel.

But I'm only fantasising.

30-10-2023 01:28PM

There are some gems out there, the recent Brendan OConner interview with Naomi Kline is an example.

Even an attempt at serious journalism doesn't seem to land right, it's as if they are attempting to talk to a middle Ireland that isn't there anymore, it's as if everyone has lost their way or something.

Miriam OCallaghan is another one I won't listen to anymore she looks like she is zoned out when on the TV and her interviews are dier

Brendan Bendar · 30-10-2023 01:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301117#Comment_121301117

Michael are you referring to the ‘Today programme’ on BBC radio4 or maybe Morning Ireland?

Oscar_Madison · 30-10-2023 01:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301280#Comment_121301280

Yeah quality presenters are short on the ground alright - it doesn’t really bother me these days as I’m listening less and less to live radio -good podcasts knock the socks off live radio - even some of the RTÉ radio documentary on One are brilliant .

For good radio to work you’ve got to respect the presenters and really I could take or leave the lot of them these days - I’m heading towards grumpy old man status me thinks 😀

Micheal Varadkar · 30-10-2023 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301326#Comment_121301326

I am referring to the 10am to Midday show on RTE Radio 1 hosted since autumn 2020 by Claire Byrne. It has definitely dumbed down a lot since she took over from Sean O'Rourke but it was already heading that way for awhile. Like Sean O'Rourke's era was dumbed down compared to John Bowman's version in the 80s.

30-10-2023 03:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301596#Comment_121301596

John Bowman, Brian Farrell etc were (the first still is) broadcasters of an era modelled on old BNC standards, where good journalism and a dignified presentation style were paramount.

I well remember one evening when bringing the dog to the vet that Brian Farrell was sitting in the waiting room beside his son and holding a very well behaved cat on his lap. A sad road accident case had come in which put all appointments out and the vet came out covered in blood to announce a delay. Brian Farrell was due to be in Montrose and appearing on Today Tonight in an hour and a half, and was frantically looking at his watch, as he couldn’t just rock into studio in front of cameras covered in cat hairs. When I got home I the telly was switched on for Today aTonight and a very flustered and sweaty looking Brian Farrell presented the current affairs show expanding on news from the day.

30-10-2023 04:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301218#Comment_121301218

This is not meant badly but you are delusional, why would the general public be interested in paying 10 a month for serious journalism, who decided what serious is anyway?

There are multiple ways of getting news for free and current affairs for free you also overestimate the general public's interest in serious journalism and current affairs.

30-10-2023 06:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301043#Comment_121301043

I am not talking about highbrow stuff, maybe more middle brown for example less mental health, more economists, less feelings, and more facts.

Caquas · 30-10-2023 06:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121301902#Comment_121301902

Don’t you know every home or premises with a TV is legally obliged to pay €13.33 per month (€160 annually) for RTÉ etc.?

The courts are full of people being prosecuted for non-payment. I hope you don’t find yourself among them 😝

Micheal Varadkar · 30-10-2023 06:49PM

The media have stopped reporting the numbers of declining TV licence sales because they fear it just encourages more people to stop paying. Irish mainstream media is one big happy family, nobody in the newspapers or Virgin media are going to put the boot into RTE because their ambition is to work in RTE.

30-10-2023 07:01PM

I do pay my TV license it's an age thing I'd say.

Caquas · 30-10-2023 07:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121302401#Comment_121302401

My point is that no government will dare introduce a "public service broadcasting" charge although it would simply apply the logic of the current TV licence to digital media.

Bizarrely, and for no reason other than our politicians' insatiable desire to buy votes, the people most likely to pay the TV licence voluntarily, if only from force of habit, are exempted (the over-70s, regardless of means). So who is RTE's biggest funder? The Department of Social Protection! It pays an annual subvention (€70million in 2021) for all these licence fee exemptions, amounting to one-third of RTE's entire licence fee revenues.

Of course, no one today would invent RTE's current funding structure. No one would impose a licence fee to bankroll a broadcaster which is supported by commercial advertising. And certainly not a broadcaster who gets jam on it by charging the State for all its "public service" announcements.

Micheal Varadkar · 30-10-2023 08:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121302582#Comment_121302582

That's another thing I'm surprised more people aren't highlighting, the government of Ireland seems to have very openly bailed out all FM radio stations in the country with their advertising and public service announcements. 20 years ago when radio stations had a lot more listeners and money, there was little to no government advertising.

hotmail.com · 30-10-2023 09:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300562#Comment_121300562

Claire Byrne hasn't done one tough interview since she got the job.

She was over promoted and is out of her depth. She's basically a news presenter.

jippo nolan · 31-10-2023 12:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121302795#Comment_121302795

An over reporting weather presenter!

31-10-2023 11:44AM

Today Claire has a feature on how da Gearóid Halloween sweets are for children’s teeth. Mammy radio at its best.

Micheal Varadkar · 31-10-2023 12:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121304659#Comment_121304659

It begs the question, why does "cash strapped" RTE have two Separate Radio programs on Radio 1 between 9 and Midday? Why not just have Today with Claire on for the full 3 hours? Years ago one program was light and the other was hard news but now that the Today with CB show has become so fluffy, it makes no since having two separate programs.

Oscar_Madison · 31-10-2023 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121304659#Comment_121304659

Yeah let’s all give out carrots and parsley - I’m sure the kids will be tickled pink 🤪

teachinggal123 · 02-11-2023 03:29PM

RTÉ spent €20,000 on staff trips to Cannes and Amsterdam over last two months amid spending cutbacks https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-spent-20000-on-staff-trips-to-cannes-and-amsterdam-over-last-two-months-amid-spending-cutbacks/a16284378.html

Atlantic Dawn · 02-11-2023 05:45PM

€500k spent on reviews in to Tubs salary and Toy Show The Musical...

https://www.thejournal.ie/rte-review-costs-6213411-Nov2023/

Damien360 · 02-11-2023 05:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121316301#Comment_121316301

I read that and thought that was expensive but considering the attempts by the management to muddy the waters, trawling the accounts would not have been easy.

Without the investigation, the more important information on waste throughout the organisation would not have come to light and the taxpayer would have ponied up a lot more money to prop up RTE.

Is the full report in the public domain ?

RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

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