The Government is planning to take measures to “split RTÉ in half” and make up to 400 staff redundant. 

That’s according to unconfirmed reports in the Irish Mail on Sunday, which suggests the Coalition is seeking “radical changes in the pipeline” for the national broadcaster. 

According to the Mail’s ‘Cabinet sources’, the Government believes it can implement measures on RTÉ that would previously have been seen as “politically unpalatable”. 

Although official inquiries into RTÉ are yet to commence, sources suggest the Government plans to bring in a redundancy scheme which will focus on “higher paid employees” but could see up to 400 staff within RTÉ laid off.

Splitting RTÉ 'in half'

The Government also seeks to split RTÉ’s public service and commercial functions into two separate entities.  

This could mean the State will only fund public broadcast services such as RTÉ News, while other productions are entirely commercially funded. 

Under these plans, RTÉ would become a “rump” public service broadcaster, according to the Cabinet source, with a hybrid funding model involving a ‘broadcast levy’.

There are also suggestions the Government will cap all staff salaries and presenters’ pay below the level of the assistant secretary general of Ireland - €154,160 to €176,350. 

This comes following a Bill in the Seanad to cap RTÉ salaries at the annual salary of the Minister of Communications – approximately €195,000. 

Members of the NUJ union protesting at RTÉ studios in Dublin over Ryan Tubridy's financial arrangements and money payments. Picture by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

RTÉ executives previously confirmed every presenter’s contract with RTÉ will be “forensically examined” following revelations that Ryan Tubridy earned €345,000 more over six years than previously declared. 

According to the Irish Mail on Sunday, Mr Tubridy will not only be asked to appear before the Oirechtas Public Accounts Committee, but “pay back all secret payments in question”. 

The Mail reported Ministers are facing a “political headache” in attempts to rapidly deconstruct a “terminally dysfunctional” national broadcaster. 

The Government is also planning to invoke special powers to appoint its own auditor to examine RTÉ finances, according to the Sunday Independent.

It comes as RTÉ Board Chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh and incoming Director General Kevin Bakhurst have confirmed they will meet with the Minster for Media Catherine Martin in the coming days.