The Taoiseach has said it is “not credible” that former RTÉ Director General was the only person who knew about the undeclared payments to Ryan Tubridy.

Leo Varadkar was speaking as the RTÉ Board and Executive prepare to appear before the Oireachtas Media Committee.

Among those to be questioned today are the RTÉ Board Chairperson Siún Ní Raghallaigh and Interim Director General Adrian Lynch.

Former Director General Dee Forbes will not be attending due to health reasons.

RTÉ released a statement on Tuesday laying much of the blame for the controversy at Ms Forbes door.

It said she was at the forefront of the negotiations of Mr Tubridy's contract for 2020 to 2025 and was the only member of the executive board who knew enough about Mr Tubridy's contract to know that his publicly stated salary was incorrect.

RTÉ’s claim former DG Dee Forbes was the only person who knew about Ryan Tubridy’s pay arrangements is ‘not credible’ - Varadkar. pic.twitter.com/tmhF3kDB0G

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) June 28, 2023

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar rejected that claim.

“While the RTÉ statement from yesterday sheds some light on what has transpired, a lot of questions remain open,” he said.

“We expect to see a full and open engagement at the Oireachtas committees today and tomorrow.

“Certainly, we do not believe it is credible that the former DG Dee Forbes was the only person with knowledge of these events.”

Deeply unsettling

Mr Varadkar also told the Dáil the controversy has been ‘deeply unsettling’ – and warned that the Government does not believe four weeks is an adequate time frame for Grant Thornton to complete its second report into payments between 2017 and 2019.

He noted that the people most impacted by the scandal are the general public, ‘the vast majority of whom dutifully pay their TV licence fee’.

RTÉ Board Chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh meets the media on her way out of the Department of Arts after meeting Minister Catherine Martin, 24/06/2023. Image: Eamonn Farrell/Rollingnews

In her opening remarks to the committee this afternoon, Ms Ní Raghallaigh apologised for “this egregious breach of trust with the public”.

“We know that our bond of trust with the public is tarnished,” she said. “We know that trust is precious, and that once lost, trust is difficult to regain.

Step by step we will work to rebuild that trust. We will not flinch in this regard. We know that this will be challenging, but we are committed to doing so, in order that confidence in Ireland’s national public service broadcaster can be restored.”

In setting out a timeline of the scandal, Ms Ní Raghallaigh noted that while Mr Tubridy’s earnings were understated to the public and the Oireachtas, they were “correctly accounted for in the RTÉ accounts”.

“The earnings he received were what he was contractually entitled to,” she said. “In addition, for the record, I want to confirm that he did not receive an exit fee.”

She noted that Grant Thornton is due to publish its findings in four weeks and said the board is ‘very anxious’ to know why the salary was understated and by whom.

“I want to assure this Committee and the public that the Board is committed to ensuring that we get full clarity on this, that there is accountability for it, and that it never happens again,” she said.

Dee Forbes at RTÉ studios at Donnybrook, Dublin in 2016. Picture by: RollingNews.ie

RTÉ today claimed that Mr Tubridy’s contract came to an end after he stood down from his Late Late Show role in May.

It said negotiations had begun regarding his radio responsibilities; however, these have now been paused along with all other presenter negotiations.

Governance

Speaking outside EPIC, the Irish Immigration Museum this afternoon, the Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the external review offers a chance to reform the governance structures at RTÉ.

He said it does not need to examine historical pay arrangements at RTÉ.

“I think clarity is essential,” he said.

“It doesn’t have to go too far back either. I mean, obviously the minister will outline the timelines, but I think recent times is the important piece here.

“But also the governance issue – are the current governance structures fit for purpose.

“I believe an opportunity exists perhaps to look at the governance structures and to reform those.”

“It doesn’t have to go too far back.”

The external review into the governance and culture at RTÉ should focus on finances and management over recent years – Martin. pic.twitter.com/vmhjMyOamZ

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) June 28, 2023

He said the apparent attempts to hide the payments to Mr Tubridy are “not acceptable” – but said the issue is not a matter for the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA).

“I think we need to be careful now in how far we go here,” he said.

“I think what is important is taxpayers’ money and the RTÉ licence fee and therefore there has to be transparency around issues of remuneration.

“To that end, governance is important to ensure proper transparency and clarity across the entire organisation.”

Dee Forbes

Ms Forbes resigned from her position on Monday.

In a statement she criticised the RTÉ Board, insisting it had "not treated me with anything approaching the levels of fairness, equity and respect that anyone should expect as an employee, a colleague or a person".

"I am deeply sorry for what has happened and my part in this episode and for that, I apologise unreservedly to everyone," she added.

She had been suspended from her role the previous Wednesday as the RTÉ Board prepared to reveal the controversy to the public.

Oireachtas hearings

RTÉ Board chairperson Siún Ní Raghallaigh and board members Anne O'Leary and Robert Shortt are attending today’s Media Committee hearing.

RTÉ Executive Board members Interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch, Director of Strategy Rory Coveney, Director of Commercial Geraldine O'Leary, Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins are also attending.