RTÉ CFO exit package ‘did not go through executive board’

The Director General of RTÉ has told staff that an exit package for the broadcaster’s former Chief Financial Officer Breda O’Keeffe was not brought before the broadcaster’s executive board.

Kevin Bakhurst told a town hall meeting of employees that the package was agreed between Ms O’Keeffe and the former RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes.

Legal firm McCann Fitzgerald had been appointed by RTÉ to conduct a review of voluntary exit packages and its report is due to be published later today.

According to sources at today’s RTÉ staff meeting, Mr Bakhurst said the report accepts that the failure of Ms O’Keeffe’s exit package to go before the executive was a mistake by RTÉ, not Ms O’Keeffe.

He said there were no other individuals identified whose voluntary exit packages did not go through the correct processes.

However, he said there is a question about a small number of individuals’ exit packages.

In these cases there may be implications with the Revenue Commissioners regarding redundancy payments.

Mr Bakhust said that RTÉ has written to Revenue about this.

Mr Bakhurst was speaking after report into Toy Show The Musical found that the recording of the show’s sponsorship money was “not in line with generally accepted accounting practices“.

A new Register of Interests and a new Register of External Activities are to commence this month for RTÉ staff.

RTÉ said it will require certain staff and contractors to make an annual return under the Register of Interests.