RTÉ under pressure following €2.7m drop in licence fee sales
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RTÉ is under pressure to restore public confidence following a €2.7m drop-off in licence fee sales last month.
Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have called on the national broadcaster to publish all reports relating to the Ryan Tubridy payments scandal and immediately set up a register of interests to ensure full transparency.
It comes as figures provided by the Department of Media show that 17,297 fewer TV licences were bought last month, which equates to a €2.7m loss in revenue.
PAC chairperson Brian Stanley said RTÉ must not delay setting up a register of interests which had been promised following a scandal relating to payments made through a barter account.
He said: "In order to restore public confidence, RTÉ do need to put in place a register of interests and I would be really anxious that this is in place fairly quickly."
A number of other PAC members, including Alan Kelly, Verona Murphy, and Alan Dillon, have also called on RTÉ to immediately publish four reports relating to the Ryan Tubridy payments.
“TV licence revenue is collapsing and 1,800 people are employed at RTÉ. At the same time, we are left awaiting numerous reports which we have been promised for weeks at this stage,” Mr Dillon said.
“The only way we can move on from this is to rebuild trust and that cannot happen until we have a clear and accurate picture of what occurred at the publicly funded national broadcaster which received €196m in TV licence fees in 2021."
He said the Grant Thornton interim report, 2017-2019, must now be published along with an internal RTÉ review into Mr Tubridy's payments in that period.
Mr Dillon, a Fine Gael TD, added that politicians have yet to receive a report into as well as a report into the voluntary exit schemes in 2017 and 2021.
Separately, Mr Dillon called on Media Minister Catherine Martin to publish the latest RTÉ annual report and audited accounts.
Ms Murphy agreed with Mr Dillon's call, stating that the only way to restore public confidence is through transparency.
"It's essential that we can see these reports and see them in full, not redacted."
Commenting on the drop in licence fee payments, he said: "It very much looks like RTÉ is going to need a bailout, but that has to be a very structured process and what's going on has to be brought to a conclusion and it has to be identified where the faults lie."
In a statement issued by RTÉ, director general Kevin Bakhurst said he is very grateful to the many people who have continued to buy a TV licence.
"I'd like to take this opportunity to reiterate to audiences that we are working hard to rebuild trust in this organisation and RTÉ staff and programme-makers are working hard every day to provide exciting, creative and valuable programming and content — paid for by your licence fee."
He said RTÉ provides hugely important public service broadcasting through its news coverage of major national events.
"The GAA All-Ireland finals were watched by millions. This, and the compelling coverage of Ireland's Women's World Cup team and the other tournament games, were all free-to-air. I hope that recent coverage has reminded audiences of the value they receive from RTÉ day to day."