Reviews could deliver ‘radical reform’ of RTÉ

Media Minister Catherine Martin has said that if the 116 recommendations of the external review’s into RTÉ are implemented “in full”, it will deliver “radical reform” and give a new future to the station.

Two Government-commissioned reports – on governance and culture at RTÉ and on contractor fees and HR – contain the recommendations on the necessary changes required at the national broadcaster.

The Minister confirmed today that legislation is being drafted to ensure that the Comptroller and Auditor General becomes RTÉ’s auditor, in line with one of the recommendations.

Minister Martin said that as RTÉ had accepted the recommendations “in principle”, the Cabinet has agreed to release €40 million in interim funding.

The first tranche will be €20m, with the remainder being dependent on implementation by RTÉ of the review recommendations.

She said a new committee, made up of her officials and New Era, will review implementation of the recommendations on a quarterly basis.

She said the Expert Reviews recognised the work will take time, and that “patience” was required.

The Minister reiterated that a Cabinet will take a decision on future funding of public service broadcasting before the summer recess in mid-July.

She saID there are still “differences of opinion” on the issue.

She said the two choices were now down to either a “revenue collection” of a licence fee or an exchequer funded model, which she still supports.

The Minister accepted that implementing legislation will take months to draft, but “hoped” that it could be advanced and become law if the Government runs its full term up to March 2025.

Recommendations accepted in ‘principle’

RTÉ said it welcomed the publication of the reports.

It said it “accepts in principle the recommendations made in the two Expert Advisory Committee Reports”.

The broadcaster said it would undertake a full review of the reports to ensure “we can formally respond in full within the timeframe suggested”.

Chair of the RTÉ Board Terence O’Rourke, said the work carried out in the compilation of the reports “will make a significant contribution to the task of rebuilding trust in RTÉ”.

RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst said: “We welcome the publication of the three reports by the Minister and accept in principle the recommendations included in both Expert Advisory Committees.”

“We have already undertaken major reform of RTÉ and addressed many of the recommendations included in the reports and we are committed to continuing on this process of reform, now with the benefit of recommendations set out in the reports today. We will respond formally and in full when we have taken time to give the reports full consideration.”

Timescale for acceptance ‘unrealistic’

The National Union of Journalists said its members would be examining the implications of the recommendations made today and would engage, through the RTÉ Trade Union Group, with management on the impact on RTÉ employees.

NUJ Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley warned “that the timescale proposed for full acceptance of the recommendations is unrealistic given the breadth and depth of the reports”.

He said: “Given the financial challenges facing RTÉ and the uncertainty surrounding the funding of public service broadcasting, I am concerned at the six-week delay in government approval of a new funding model.”