RTÉ staff member returned 'on-loan' car on Tuesday after five years

Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley questioned interim Director General Adrian Lynch on whether he was aware if a member of staff was a brand ambassador for a car company such as Renault, and is also in receipt of a car allowance from RTÉ.

Mr Lynch said it is his understanding that there is one instance where a staff member had a loan of a car and that car has been returned. He said they had the car for a period of five years, it was returned yesterday and the arrangement was not approved.

Mr Lynch said he would also have to clarify for Mr Dooley whether staff that were brand ambassadors for a car company were also in receipt of car allowances from RTÉ.

Mr Lynch said he could not disclose who the individual is for GDPR reasons and that there would be too much speculation of who the person is if they disclosed what level they work at.

“I’m sure it’ll come out anyway,” he said.

The media committee also heard that presenter Ryan Tubridy did not refuse to take a pay cut, but that there was a dispute as to the level of the cut to be made.

Under questioning by Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin on whether the former Late Late Show host had refused to take a pay cut, RTÉ’s former former Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Breda O’Keefe, said: "They didn't refuse to take a cut, but it was the level of cut we disagreed on."

Mr Tubridy has not presented his RTÉ Radio 1 show since news of the hidden payments to him emerged almost two weeks ago.

Mr Lynch said Mr Tubridy “can’t be on the air at the moment” but said RTÉ is still paying the former Late Late host. He said there are “certain elements of the contract that are in dispute with the agent”.

RTÉ director of strategy, Rory Coveney also revealed that it is costing RTÉ €8,000 a year to store the set for the failed Toy Show: The Musical which sold just over 11,000 tickets with a revenue loss of €2.2m.

Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin has said the €2.2m revenue lost due to Toy show the Musical was a “disgrace” and a “scandal.” He questioned how Director of Strategy at RTÉ, Rory Coveney, could say they were proud of the failed production which sold just 11,000 tickets.

Asked about Mr Tubridy’s role with the musical, Mr Coveney said he had “no interest” in it.

“He was supportive of the product and the producers and he didn’t see a role for himself,” he said.

Mr Coveney said “clearly it wasn’t a commercial success,” but that they were given no advice that it wasn’t a bad idea.

Mr Griffin said the loss of €2.2m accumulates to the TV license fee for every household in Tralee and Killarney and “you went on to say you are proud of the achievement, if that’s what you’re proud of, we might as well all pack up and go home,” he told the media committee.

Mr Griffin also asked if RTÉ stars should be benefitting from “private podcasts” which may be competing with RTÉ broadcasts.

Mr Lynch said staff members have to ask if they can do “any commercial activity”.

Group Head of Commerical at RTÉ, Geraldine O'Leary has said she is not sure if her position is tenable. 

She criticised erroneous reports about her and her husband which she said have “crossed the line” and said there has been an “invasion of privacy” which has impacted her health. 

She told the media committee in response to Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster that she will have a conversation with incoming Director General Kevin Bakhurst but added she is due to retire in eight weeks.

Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster said she does not bring her husband to the Dáil or to work with her and asked why Ms O’Leary brought her husband with her to various RTÉ events and pointed out that another client could have used that place.

“I have had a very clear policy on plus ones,” said Ms O’Leary.

She said she and her husband paid their own way to the Ireland v All Blacks game in Chicago.