Presenter Ryan Tubridy has “apologised unreservedly” for not asking questions when RTÉ published incorrect figures for his earnings.
Mr Tubridy also revealed that he would not be presenting his radio show next week as the national broadcaster reels from the controversy over the misreporting of its star presenter’s salary.
Earlier on Friday RTÉ director general Dee Forbes was suspended and the National Union of Journalists called for a wide independent inquiry into RTÉ’s corporate governance.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed his concern at what he said appears to have been a “serious breach of trust and truth” between RTÉ and the Government, and the people.
Minister for Media Catherine Martin is set to meet with RTÉ board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh on Saturday.
Mr Varadkar added: “The Government considers it essential that we have the highest standards of governance, accountability and transparency from RTÉ and will consider what further action may be required.
“All of the matters involved will have to be examined and, perhaps, remedial steps taken to restore trust and confidence.”
On Friday evening, RTÉ interim deputy director general Adrian Lynch described a “massive breach of trust with the public and our staff”.
“It’s a corporate governance issue of significant proportions and RTÉ staff are outraged by this, they have the public interest at the centre of their job every day,” he told RTÉ's Six One news programme.
Mr Lynch said a process is underway, and he expects it to be completed within days rather than weeks.
He also said he was not in a position to say when Tubridy might be back to presenting his radio show.
Tubridy apology
In a statement, Mr Tubridy said: “RTÉ’s accounting treatment and publication of payments made to me between 2017 and 2022 contained serious errors.
“While I have no responsibility for the corporate governance in RTÉ or how or what they publish in their accounts when my earnings were published I should have asked questions at the time and sought answers as to the circumstances which resulted in incorrect figures being published.
“I didn’t, and I bear responsibility for my failure to do so.
“For this, I apologise unreservedly.”
The former Late Late Show host added: “At the centre of all of this is trust. The trust of colleagues in RTÉ and the trust of a great many people who listen to my show.
“To them, I wholeheartedly apologise for my error of judgement.
“Separately, it has been reported that I did not take a pay cut over the last number of years. This is simply not true.
“Over the period of my contract with RTÉ, I have been asked to take several reductions in salary and I did. Indeed, between 2012 and today, my pay from RTÉ was cut by approximately 40 per cent.
“I also wish to respond to suggestions that this issue had some bearing on my decision to step down from hosting the Late Late Show. It did not.
“Finally, I am disappointed that RTÉ has decided that for editorial reasons I should not broadcast my radio show next week.
“I look forward to returning to the radio show, a job I love, as soon as possible and I hope my listeners and my colleagues appreciate my sincerity on this.”
The announcement came a day after RTÉ apologised as it admitted Mr Tubridy, it's top earner and highest-profile presenter, had been paid several hundred thousand euro more than it had previously declared.
The RTÉ board said that between 2017 and 2022, he received a series of payments totalling €345,000 above his annual published salary.
Ms Forbes, who was already due to step down from her role next month, was suspended on Wednesday, the RTÉ board announced on Friday.
In a statement, Ms Forbes said: “I have been fully engaged with the [RTÉ] Board since this matter arose in the course of the audit of the accounts.
“When asked in April 2023, I participated in the review conducted by Grant Thornton to determine the full circumstances and facts surrounding two specific payments to fulfil a contractual obligation for the years 2021 and 2022.
“Yesterday was an extremely difficult day for all of us who care so deeply about the organisation and the impact of these issues is a matter of profound regret.”
Crisis talks
Minister for Media and Culture Catherine Martin is due to hold talks with RTÉ board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh on Saturday to discuss the crisis rocking the broadcaster.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Ms Martin said: “I want to know what actions are going to be taken, what processes will be put in place to make sure that this never happens again.
“I do believe it raises concerns in relation to the broader transparency and governance of this organisation.
“Public service broadcasting is so important to society, to democracy, and there is no doubt that damage has been done here.
“Trust has been damaged with the public, but I would say there is a lot of damage has been done to the staff, and that is something the board needs to work on, rebuilding the trust.”
Regarding the suspension of Ms Forbes, the Minister added: “I think for the sake of transparency it is good that announcement has been made, that clarity is given that that suspension has taken place.”
Ms Martin said she became aware in March that an issue had been discovered in the RTÉ audit, but only became aware that it involved Mr Tubridy on Wednesday.
She said: “What I was told in March was that an issue had arisen in the routine annual audit and that the need to do a fact-finding review to establish the actual facts around this.
“That is all I knew in March.”
Union meetings
NUJ members at RTÉ organised an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the controversy.
Irish secretary of the NUJ Seamus Dooley called for a broad investigation into corporate governance issues at RTÉ.
He said there is “great anger” among RTÉ members and added that an investigation into industrial relations processes within RTÉ was also needed.
Mr Dooley said the union was seeking an apology from management to staff as well as a meeting with the trade union group.
Emma O Kelly, chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch, at the RTÉ Studios in Donnybrook, Dublin. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA
NUJ Dublin Broadcasting chairwoman Emma O Kelly said RTÉ staff wanted a wider independent inquiry into a “culture of secrecy” at the broadcaster.
“People spoke of how devastated they were, how ashamed they were, and how betrayed they felt.”
Employees who are members of Siptu were also in attendance.
“We have young, talented journalists leaving this organisation and yet in the midst of all this we have these secret payments – so there’s huge anger.”
Ms O Kelly, who is RTÉ’s education correspondent, added: “We have huge concerns around the use of the third-party contracts, this is something we have raised with RTÉ before.”
By Jonathan McCambridge and David Young, PA
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