Five things we learned from Kevin Bakhurst's first interview as RTÉ director general
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Today was the first day on the job for new director general of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst, and just hours into his new role, he announced his new interim leadership team.
Following his announcement, Mr Bakhurst appeared on RTÉ Radio One to discuss his planned series of overhauls at RTÉ.
Here are five things we learned about from Mr Bakhurst's first interview:
Mr Bakhurst admitted that he does not know the current status of Ryan Tubridy’s contract with RTÉ. When questioned about Mr Tubridy’s future at the station, Mr Bakhurst said: "We need to see how this week plays out, I need to talk to my colleagues, and we will have to make a decision in the next few weeks."
According to Mr Bakhurst, Mr Tubridy is still being paid by RTÉ.
When asked whether Mr Bakhurst envisages Mr Tubridy coming back on air at RTÉ he said: "I think we will have to make a decision on it in due course."
Mr Bakhurst went on to say that the process of RTÉ staff using agents to represent them is under "close consideration".
He said: "I’m talking to my senior colleagues about that. It is complex because the most highly paid on-air presenters, some have agents, some don’t.
“There are people elsewhere in the organisation, such as actors on and other things, who also have agents. So, agents' involvement is different in different areas.
Mr Bakhurst believes that agents have too much influence at the station.
He said: “I don’t think it is fair to single out a single agent by name, but I do think it is not a healthy market where individual agents wield such power, and that is something that I intend to address as director general.
"Everyone has a right to have an agent for non RTÉ work, or to advise them more generally, but the question for me is, is it right that we continue negotiating with agents for any RTÉ on-air presenters, and that is something we need to address imminently."
Mr Bakhurst disclosed that he has recused himself from dealing with the Marty Morrissey situation because Marty is a "good friend" of his.
He said: "I've asked Adrian Lynch, the acting deputy director general, to deal with that, and various other cases that have arisen.
"At the moment, we are in the process of getting the facts together about anyone who has come to our attention, and Adrian is running that process. There will be a proper process around it.
When asked why Marty Morrissey was allowed to continue broadcasting but Ryan Tubridy wasn't, Mr Bakhurst answered: “There was a clear difference between those two cases. There was no loss to RTÉ in what Marty did as far as I understand it."
Last week, the GAA broadcaster confirmed that he was the RTÉ staff member who had the use of a free car for more than five years in a ‘ad-hoc’ arrangement.
According to Mr Bakhurst, RTÉ employees are allowed to take payments from commercial organisations outside of the work they do for RTÉ, "as long as they are approved and as long as they are within the guidelines".
He said: "We will have a register of interests, we will have clear guidelines, and we will have clear processes for people getting permission.
"We will have transparency for prominent people, so we know, and also that the people know, what alternative source of income or what alternative things people are doing to make sure that it is not a conflict of interest."
During the interview, Mr Bakhurst admitted that due to the ongoing controversy, RTÉ now faces "substantial financial headwinds".
He said: "It is true, the organisation faces some significant financial hurdles and challenges.
He confirmed that he had met with some members of staff this morning, and recognised that job cuts were "at the forefront of people's minds".
However, he said: "There are no plans at the moment to cut jobs, but I cannot guarantee that it may come to that, depending on what the financial position is for the organisation.
"My responsibility is to make sure we have enough cash to continue functioning."
Mr Bakhurst was asked whether he would be the director general who ends the practice of paying presenters salaries in excess of €350,000 when their contracts end.
He responded: "This is one of things we need to look at. It is always an ongoing issue about the amount you pay senior on-screen or on-air talent.
"Some of these presenters have a commercial value, but I'm well aware of the financial position of RTÉ and how this looks to audiences and others outside.
However, Mr Bakhurst confirmed that he does not think pay caps are the "right thing".
He added: "You need to look at everyone individually."