RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

Seems to be pension contributions miscalculation. Not something I'd mention when stating my salary tbf?

Kevin Backhurst. The "new" Director General of RTE. The one bringing in sweeping changes. An end to underhand business deals.

Funnily enough I think the News is about the only thing RTE does well, and actually they do it very well.

No you can't

It takes hours to fly anywhere before you even get on the plane

Dublin to London is 1 hour and 25 minutes.

According to Ash J Williams it takes hours to fly anywhere. This is incorrect.

I dont really understand what your point is. The original post I was quoting was concerned about Ryans move to a foreign country. I was making the point that it is as close to where he is now as parts of the country he lives in. He seems to love Cliffden so I used that as an example.

Let’s get the thread back on topic, and forget the fcukkery about airline flight times..

The main problem is that there seems to be no real concentration on the ‘talent’ and the outrageous wedge they trouser.

Now, of course I know that that’s not a huge player in reducing costs, these are the work practices, the number of grades, the hidden expenses, the pensions, the poor management, the hours worked, the side line gigs….etc etc and so on and so forth.

But ……these punters are where the rubber hits the road with John Q Taxpayer and as a member of that coterie myself, I would be ‘incandescent’ if these chancers were given any room to carry on as they have up to this.

As the contracts come up for renewal they should be given a number with a take it or leave it tag on it.

And it should be well short of €250k ….

This f ukkery about reducing hours to maintain relativity should be blown out of the water…..rapido.

We need someone in government to say "no Kevin, that's not reform that's just moving figures around "

Many of the companies Ive worked for had a policy of allowing contractors for about 2 years and either giving them the oppertunity of going fulltime employee, or just renewing their contract for a further 6 month term but telling them it will not be renewed again.

Contractors are convenient for a company for maybe a short term project, but work out more expensive for long term engagements.

So, why is Ray DArcy, or Joe Duffy, both on the airwaves for 10+ years still contractors? That would be a quick money saving exercise for KB. Give the pair of them notice that their contract is not going to be renewed or is being rescinded, and tell them to apply for their positions as RTE employees. Pension, healthcare, but under the new policy of no-one earning more than the DG. If they don't like it, they can follow Tubridy to Virgin UK. I'm sure Joe especialy would be welcomed with open arms, assuming londoners can understand him.

It's the same in the area I work in...contracting is a short- or medium-term solution, it is never a 10-year solution. Like your employers, contractors have to leave or move to permanent after two years.

great description I laughed at that, he could give John Delaney a ring he seems to have made a good go there but at least he had the business acumen and wheeler dealer experience from the FAI, Tubridy has none of that he is fresh off the boat literally.

Now Ryan is plying his trade in brexit Britain, Im sure he had alot to say about that on his radio show which would have been the irish establishment position. Now his audience could include london cabbies and "white van man" He will not want former clips from his radio show re surfacing.

Been in London all week and the first I heard of this was when I flicked on a couple of Irish radio podcasts and of course logged in here!

A fascinating development. I really can't fathom the thinking behind this from the perspective of his new employers. Is it really as nonsensical as equating his household name status in Ireland with talent and an ability to build an audience? Do they really think he is the next Wogan or Graham Norton?

I would love to see the details on the deal NK did here. Money aside, it's going to be a major shock to the system for Tubs, to go from effectively a public sector mindset of waste, duplication, needless "roles" and performance and ratings being a secondary issue, to the cut throat world of a British, commercial radio station owned by the Murdoch's where numbers are the only barometer that matters. He will actually have to do 6 to 8 hour days now too because I'm going to guess there will be no army of assistants employed to do his job for him.

Like or loath Chris Evans or Graham Norton, they are hugely able broadcasters who make it look effortless. The type of people who could be dropped into any tv or radio situation and could make a fist of it. Either could easily have moved to the US. Tubs really stands out like a sore thumb amongst them.

It will be intriguing to see how this goes. I wish him all the best and many, many..................MANY years of success in the UK.

If he was to be the next Wogan or Norton would he not have made it outside of Ireland before now? He's 50.

Dunno D'Arcy's status now but he certainly did have an agent and it's not too hard to figure out who that agent was/is

That's from an article when Ray's agent was throwing a hissy over Ray being dumped from TV due to him being rubbish

I personally think Ray still has his agent