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Keeping RTÉ Board in place 'is the right thing to do' - Martin

"In the interests of accountability and the public interest, I think the board members should remain in place"
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

11.12 26 Jan 2024


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Keeping RTÉ Board in place 'is...

Keeping RTÉ Board in place 'is the right thing to do' - Martin

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

11.12 26 Jan 2024


Share this article


The RTÉ Board should be kept in place in the interests of accountability, the Media Minister has said.

A report into 'Toy Show The Musical' suggested the broadcaster transferred €75,000 in TV advertising money to ‘sponsorship’ of the failed show.

The report found ‘no evidence’ that the RTÉ Board gave the €2.3 million event the go-ahead in the first place - although it notes that there is a “diversity of views” on the matter.

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Nine members are currently on the RTÉ Board, five of whom were there at the time of the Toy Show musical debacle.

Media Minister Catherine Martin told Newstalk Breakfast she is waiting for further reports next month.

"I have confidence in the chair and I have confidence in how the board is working now," she said.

"My priority is to ensure at a really critical time that the public interest is served, and that the interests of the organisation and the staff too at this critical juncture.

"This report relates to a single project, it's an RTÉ-commissioned report.

"The most important reports that I'm waiting for are actually what the Government commissioned, and that work has been ongoing for six months.

"I do not want to pre-empt their findings or their final conclusions, which we would expect at the end of February.

"For now, the right thing to do is to keep the board in place."

'Accountability is key'

Minister Martin said several Oireachtas committees want to question the board.

"I believe accountability is key, and in the interests of accountability and the public interest I think the board members should remain in place," she said.

"Removing them now would mean that RTÉ would not have an operational board for some time, even with an accelerated recruitment process.

"They must be answerable to the Oireachtas committees and that is what I'm hearing from the Oireachtas committees; they want to bring them in".

Minister Martin said accountability is "not limited to the removal" of the board.

A decesion on replacing the TV licence will also be taken this year, she added.

Listen back here:

Main image: Media Minister Catherine Martin talking to the reporters after meeting with RTÉ members  in Dublin, 6-7-23. Image: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

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