The head of RTÉ has said 'eight or nine' people are unlikely to waive confidentiality on their exit packages from the broadcaster.
RTÉ has written to former members of its senior management, asking them to waive their right to confidentiality over their exit packages.
The broadcaster has published legal advice in relation to the recent departures of senior executives at the organisation.
The updated legal advice states that "some employees left following negotiated discussions documented by way of settlement agreements" and that "any employee who departed RTÉ on foot of a directly negotiated settlement did so on the basis that the terms of such an agreement would remain confidential".
RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst told The Hard Shoulder the legal advice makes one thing clear.
"We're in a position where unfortunately, in many ways, we can't get the details of individual packages going back to 2016," he said.
"We got legal advice in October, which made the same point, but I asked for renewed legal advice.
"They came back and said, 'You absolutely can't' - many of these people left under settlement agreement, so they left RTÉ for a number of reasons.
"It went through legal process or in some cases mediation and there's a basic confidentially for every employee.
"But then obviously when people have gone through legal processes or through mediation, it's common practice in semi-States [companies] or in commercial organisations for there to be a confidentiality agreement as part of that.
"So, there's a kind of a double reason why we're unable to give details of individuals".
RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst with The Hard Shoulder host Kieran Cuddihy, 22-2-24. Image: NewstalkMr Bakhurst said "eight or nine" people fall into this category since 2016.
"We looked at all the previous members of the executive who'd left, and also the two people who've left since I've been there," he said.
"We've written to them in the last couple of days to ask them if they'd be prepared to waive their confidentiality rights.
"That's the only legal way we could possibly put the information out there.
"I want to be realistic about whether they're likely to do it - I don't think they are, but it's the only avenue open to me".
Mr Bakhurst said he does not like "paying out big sums of money to people", but that rejecting legal advice would likely see RTÉ "end up in the WRC and then I'll end up paying double or plus the amount of money".
'Cork as a first stop'
Mr Bakhurst said a detailed strategy for the broadcaster will be delivered to the Government "over the next couple of months".
"It is about a smaller organisation, it's about moving more of the production outside of Dublin - particularly looking at Cork as a first stop there," he said.
"It's also about investing much more with the independent sector".
Mr Bakhurst said he sees no reason to sell 2fm or more land at its Montrose headquarters.
"We have underspent in our investment in things like the Player and digital products and so on.
"Clearly that's where audiences, but particularly younger audiences, are going .
"We really need to invest in our digital products and the way we reach audiences."
RTE studios on the Montrose campus in Donnybrook, Dublin. Image: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ieMr Bakhurst said selling assets may not be the best move right now.
"There's four or fives listed buildings on the part [of Montrose] that we could sell," he said.
"There's not a huge demand for office space in Dublin right now."
He said other considerations can be looked at for parts of the site.
"Are there other things that can be valuably done with the site - whether we sell it or is there something useful that can be done about social housing or whatever," he said.
"We will look at that in due course but that'll be over a period of years".
Mr Bakhurst also dismissed a "ridiculous" suggestion of selling 2fm, which he called a "really important part of how we reach younger audiences".
Listen back here:
