Review of star payments among over 100 recommendations in two new damning RTE reports

RTÉ should be brought back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General while the approach to paying presenters should be reformed, two damning reports being brought to Government on Tuesday will recommend.

The reviews, which were commissioned following the payment scandal at the broadcaster last year, have also said RTÉ’s allowance system needs to be overhauled.

Media Minister Catherine Martin will bring the reports, which she received last week, to Cabinet on Tuesday morning.

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The Irish Mirror understands both are comprehensive and make a staggering 106 recommendations between them. The reports include an analysis of the governance and culture at the state broadcaster, along with a review of contractor fees.

If RTÉ was to be brought under the remit of the C&AG, it would mean the State would have full access to the books at the broke broadcaster and any financial decision could be scrutinised by members of the Public Accounts Committee.

The recommendation to reform the way presenters are paid, meanwhile, has the potential to impact RTÉ’s biggest stars including Joe Duffy, Claire Byrne and Miriam O’Callaghan, who are registered as contractors and paid through their individual media companies. This has been commonplace at the broadcaster but it remains unclear if either report wants the practise banned outright.

The reports also recommend that any further severance schemes are both fair and equitable. Earlier this year, it emerged that an exit package, worth €450,000 and paid to RTÉ's former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe, was not approved correctly.

In February, RTÉ boss Kevin Bakhurst was forced to declare that he is not going to resign over the controversy around the exit arrangements of senior executives.

The row broke out after it emerged former director of strategy Rory Coveney received a payment, reportedly in the region of €200,000, after he quit in 2023 - in the same week that Bakhurst took the top job.

In addition to the two reports, Minister Martin will also publish findings from forensic accountants Mazars - who were appointed to examine the state broadcaster’s now infamous barter account.

The barter account was used to purchase nearly €5,000 worth of flip-flops for a summer party, a client trip to the Rugby World Cup in Japan, and, controversially, to pay €150,000 to former Late Late Show presenter Ryan Tubridy.

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