The Director General of RTÉ has said he is determined to rebuild trust and pride for the staff working at the station.
Speaking at a National Union of Journalists rally on the RTÉ campus, Kevin Bakhurst said it has been a “horrendous” time and thanked staff for their “incredible efforts” to keep the organisation afloat and for delivering to audiences.
“I want to say to you all I totally appreciate this has been a horrendous period for al the staff and I’d like to thank you all again for your efforts to keep the organisation afloat, and to deliver to audiences,” he said.
He added: “It’s been a rough few weeks for lots of people in the organisation.
“I’m absolutely determined to make this a better organisation for you all to work in, a better organisation to deliver to audiences, and to rebuild trust in pride in working here
“That’s my job and I’m going to get on with it.”
NUJ members gathered with trade union colleagues to call on the Government to act immediately on the funding crisis within the broadcaster and the wider public service broadcasting sector.
The union said it remains “gravely concerned” at the continued uncertainty surrounding RTÉ’s future and called for a “sharp focus” on the funding of public service broadcasting in Ireland.
Mr Bakhurst said he was absolutely determined to make the organisation a better one to work in and a better one to deliver to audiences.
“That’s my job and I’m going to get on with it,” he said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime following the rally, Chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch Emma O Kelly said it was “time to get beyond all of the talk and focus on the future of the organisation” and “crucial to the future is funding”.
She said the union welcomed Minister for Media Catherine Martin’s commitment to reforming funding but Ms O Kelly said she was now really concerned about the “opened-ended” aspect to this such as waiting until trust is restored.
“That’s so vague and opened-ended, when do you decide trust has been restored? That could be a very long time and that’s not good enough, we urgently need reform.
“We are imploring the Government to act as soon as possible. We don’t see why they have to wait for these two reports.. No matter what they say, they won’t change the fundamental fact of the need to put RTÉ on a sustainable and adequate public funding platform
“The root cause if most if not all of the scandals that have engulfed the organisation go back to the fact we were starved of funding”.
She added that there was a need to secure a public funding model.
“That was at the root of so much that was wrong in this organisation”.
She said she was glad to see Mr Bakhurst join the rally, and that the NUJ and staff had confidence in him.
“That doesn’t mean we are going to agree on everything”.
Speaking in the Dáil, Minister Martin said that direct exchequer funding will be considered for public service broadcasting.
Ms Martin also praised the staff at RTÉ for their work, especially through Covid-19, in providing reliable, trustworthy information.
She said that she wanted to put on the record her thanks to workers at the broadcaster.
