Junior minister rules out 400 job cuts at RTÉ in wake of payments scandal
Chaney/collins Picture: At Ossian Smyth Department Gareth Minister Junior The Of Munications,
There is “no question” of 400 jobs being cut at RTÉ in the wake of the hidden payments scandal, junior minister Ossian Smyth has said.
It follows reports in the Irish Mail on Sunday that the Government could look at introducing a redundancy scheme for RTÉ staff, which would focus on higher-paid staff but may have up to 400 job cuts.
Mr Smyth, a junior minister at the Department of Communications, told RTÉ’s that there was “no truth” to reports of plans to cut jobs.
“I’d imagine that RTÉ employees are very worried reading that this morning and I just want to say that there is absolutely no truth to it whatsoever,” Mr Smyth said.
“I spoke to Minister Catherine Martin this morning about it and her focus is going to be protecting the employees through all of this and to fix RTÉ.
“There is no question of 400 RTÉ employees being laid off.”
Fianna Fail TD Niamh Smyth, who is chairwoman of the media committee, said on Newstalk, meanwhile, that the government is not using the controversy at the broadcaster to enact revenge.
She also said that, having spoken to the Media Minister on Sunday morning on foot of the headlines, she is "sure that that is not the intention of the government" to implement redundancies or split up RTÉ.
"I'm pretty certain from speaking with the minister this morning, that is our intention: to protect the staff, to protect RTÉ, and when I say 'protect RTÉ' I mean protect that entity of public service broadcasting."
She added: "I don't think it's revenge on anybody's heart or mind in trying to sort out this in RTÉ."
Asked about whether or not Ms Martin would appoint an external auditor to look at RTÉ’s accounts in detail, Ossian Smyth said he believes she will do so next week.
It comes as Cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday to agree the final terms of reference for the external inquiry into RTÉ’s corporate governance and culture.
Mr Smyth said he expects a senior figure with expertise in corporate governance to be appointed to head up the inquiry.
The inquiry itself is expected to take several months to complete, with interim reports due to be published before it is completed.