RTÉ overhaul underway as new director general says Executive Board is being stood down

Mr Bakhurst will publish the salaries of the new leadership team every year when the figures for the top ten highest paid presenters are released.

Saying he was "appalled by recent events and the impact it has had on the public perception of RTÉ", Mr Bakhurst will also establish a register of interests for staff and contractors, something that was "long overdue".

"Acting interim director general, Adrian Lynch has written to all relevant line managers in RTÉ seeking clarification on any potential breaches of RTÉ's journalism and content guidelines and meetings are underway in this regard," he said.

He also said "the culture in RTÉ needs change, from top to bottom".

"RTÉ needs to quickly and meaningfully evolve into an organisation that is focused on its people and the public we serve. So, from today, and notwithstanding processes already underway and reviews announced by [Media] Minister [Catherine] Martin, I will work with Eimear Cusack and HR to co-ordinate a review of roles and grades, pay, and gender equality; I will look at how, what and when we communicate more fully with you, and how we involve you in the decisions we make. 

"Included in this will be the development of a staff consultation group to meet regularly with me and other members of the Leadership Group and a comprehensive employee survey."

A financial review will also take place, and all significant decisions will now "be agreed by the whole of the Interim Leadership Team and a record of discussions leading to these decisions will be compiled".

Mr Bakhurst said: "There can be no repeat of the siloed and at times secretive decision-making that have been at the root of the shameful events of the past weeks. As custodians of public money, our financial integrity must be on a par with our editorial integrity."

RTÉ Board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh welcomed the changes saying "they are the first steps in an ongoing process of change that will last for many months". Media Minister Catherin Marin also welcomed the statement from Mr Bakhurst.

"The commitment of the director general to rigorous governance processes and an end to secret decision making is vitally important. These are the first steps towards helping restore public confidence in RTÉ," Ms Martin said. 

The RTÉ Trade Union Group also welcomed the statement as National Union of Journalists Irish secretary Séamus Dooley said he hoped Mr Bakhurst’s initiative would mark “the beginning of a new beginning for an organisation which has been devoid of leadership for a number of years".

It comes as Director of Strategy Rory Coveney quit the broadcaster, where he had worked since 2007, saying Mr Bakhurst's role would be easier if he had a “fresh lead team".

"Our members at RTÉ will be considering the implication of this statement today. We await details of the interim leadership team but the decision to stand down the current Executive Board is a good start. In the interest of transparency, it will be necessary to clarify the cost of any re-structuring," Mr Dooley said

Mr Coveney, brother of Cabinet Minister Simon Coveney, oversaw the flop production of Toy Show the Musical which lost €2.2m in revenue.

His role on RTÉ’s Executive Board had resulted in the Enterprise Minister having to recuse himself at the Cabinet table when discussion about the embattled broadcaster took place.

Mr Coveney’s resignation is the second at RTÉ since revelations over payments to Ryan Tubridy were aired, following that of Dee Forbes, the former director general.

In a statement announcing his decision, Mr Coveney said: “I met with Kevin over the past few days and told him I believed the tough job ahead of him would be made somewhat easier if he had a fresh lead team.

I’ve tendered my resignation immediately to give him the space to do that. 

"Having worked with Kevin before, I’ve absolute faith in him. He’s the right person to rebuild the national broadcaster. I wish him the very best.”

Mr Bakhurst paid tribute to Mr Coveney, saying his "diligence, energy, and insight were hugely appreciated by many across the organisation". The new DG will address staff this morning about the controversy.

TV Licence 

Speaking in Cork yesterday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said a decision on whether Ireland should scrap the TV licence fee will be made by this government and he did not want to see it “kicked down the road any longer".

He said that he is “determined” to reform the way Ireland funds public service broadcasting “to put it on a sustainable footing for the future and to make sure that bodies other than RTE can get a fairer share of that pot.”

Mr Varadkar added: "I think it is going to be an important week for the new director general to set out some of the reforms he is going to make to the organisation and further opportunity for more information to come from RTÉ and the executives.

“I would not see it as the end of the affair. But it’s the beginning of some changes that are needed in RTÉ."

The Taoiseach said that the “drip-drip” feed of information from RTÉ throughout the scandal “is not helpful and erodes trust.” He said that he is unaware of requests from RTÉ for multimillion euro bailouts in the last couple of months but if RTÉ was in serious financial difficulty, government would consider helping but on strict conditions.

Mr Bakhurst’s first official day in the job comes ahead of another rocky week for RTÉ as presenter Ryan Tubridy and his agent, Noel Kelly of NK Management are due to appear before two Oireachtas committees tomorrow. 

Several radio and TV presenters have left NK Management in recent days. Politicians have said they hope Mr Tubridy can shed some light on secret payments that were made to him which ignited the scandal at RTÉ.

Chair of the media committee and Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth said she wants to know who was the “brainchild” behind the tripartite agreement entered into between Renault, RTÉ and Mr Tubridy.

The representative body for pubs in Dublin, the Licensed Vintners Association said that “several” pubs across the capital are expected to broadcast the committee hearings tomorrow.