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AN EXTERNAL REVIEW of RTÉ’s voluntary exit scheme has been ordered after an Oireachtas committee heard that a package received by one senior executive was not subject to the required sign-off.
RTÉ director-general Kevin Bakhurst commissioned the probe that will cover the years 2017-2021.
The examination will feed into the Government’s review of contractor fees and human resources at the broadcaster.
RTÉ announced the move after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was told the voluntary redundancy package for former RTÉ chief financial officer (CFO) Breda O’Keeffe was not signed off by every member of the broadcaster’s executive.
O’Keeffe left the organisation in 2020.
Current CFO Richard Collins said he was on the executive board when the payment to his predecessor was made but not when it was agreed.
Collins told the PAC: “I knew nothing about that package, Breda never explained anything about it, the director-general (Dee Forbes) never did.”
Interim deputy director-general Adrian Lynch was also on the executive board at the time but said he only became aware she exited through the voluntary redundancy scheme last week.
Labour TD Alan Kelly said all members of the executive team were supposed to sign off such packages.
Lynch said this was “absolutely factually correct”.
Asked by Kelly how he could not have signed off the package, Lynch said: “It never came to us for sign-off.”
Bakhurst, who also gave evidence to the committee, said the matter was being examined.
“This is an issue that I take very seriously because this is exactly about bringing significant decisions to the executive,” he told committee members.
Prior to Thursday evening’s announcement, Kelly had urged RTÉ to investigate if there were other instances of the voluntary redundancy scheme in which the post being vacated was not suppressed or discontinued – which he said was the case for O’Keeffe’s role.
Later in the committee, which sat for four-and-a-half hours, Lynch interjected during a gap in questioning seeking to make a “point of clarification”.
Lynch said: “I received a text from the former CFO, just to say she would dispute the idea that nobody in the exec board knew…”
There was consternation in the chamber as Lynch was interrupted to be told the committee could not accept second-hand evidence.
Independent TD Verona Murphy was among those to express outrage at this, and said: “How serious is Mr Lynch taking this that he thought it was appropriate?”
"How serious is Mr Lynch taking this that he thought it was appropriate?"
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) July 13, 2023
Verona Murphy slams former RTÉ Chief Financial Officer Breda O'Keeffe for communicating by text with deputy Director General Adrian Lynch during proceedings after refusing to come before the PAC today. pic.twitter.com/tOsMIP2dCl
O’Keeffe had told the Public Accounts Committee she would not attend yesterday as she had nothing further to add to her contributions to the media committee last week.
Following admonishment from several members of the committee, Lynch sought to defend his contribution regarding the text message.
“I received a text, whatever it was, 20 minutes ago,” he said.
“I thought it was very important having made a statement in front of the house that that should be correct with that information.
“I thought it was material.”
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I did years ago and would much rather support a local team than any English team. I honestly can’t understand the worship of English foot ball here.
@Batster: Oh please Batster, you have ‘Up The Gunners’ tattooed on your lower left rump with an arrow clearly pointing to the crevasse opening.
@Batster: The English premiership has the most talented football players in the planet, that’s why.
@Batster: The premiership and the success of the Irish team in the late 80s and 90s had a part to play I reckon. the best irish players playing for some of the best teams in England.
Before that I’ve heard stories of 30/40 thousand people being crammed into flower lodge which is now paric rinn in cork. George Best played a game or two for Cork Hibernian I think , there was no matches on TV only motd for the people that had a TV or BBC.
It’s better quality football now and marketed far better than any league in the world so that’s why we all have an interest in the premiership.
@Batster: The premier league is hugely supported across the entire planet. It’s not just here. We just happen to be situated right beside it. The league of Ireland is so far away from it that you could do both. But the stadiums in the LOI are awful. They are decrepit and half of them probably should be condemned. You will be standing out in the wind and rain in most of them if the weather is bad never mind the toilet facilities etc. these would be big reasons that people are put off going.
@Mick Duvanny: only because of money
Yes. Love it. League 1 or premier, it doesn’t matter. 16 or 20 euro a ticket and a good night out on a Friday. Honestly, great atmosphere. Final yesterday was a cracking game. Congrats to Pats, deserved it in the end. Up the BOHS
Been to see Liverpool in Anfield 16 or 17 times down the years, but nothing gives me the enjoyment of being in Richmond Park on a Friday night. Brilliant to see all the new faces at games now, especially the younger generation. For anyone who is yet to try the League of Ireland I would say just give it a go…it’s a fantastic night out.
Of course, but I’m a real irish football fan, not a barstooler
@Gavin Gray: and thats why people take the mick out of the LOI cos their fans are worse than the GAA with the im great cos I go to all the games and if ya dare watch any of them foreign games u arent a true fan yada yada yada…
@Tom Newell: There are plenty of LOI fans that watch both the english and Irish leagues, but in my opinion, you can’t really call yourself a true fan of football when you opt to just watch football on the telly when you have the option to support your own club in a live setting
@Gavin Gray: I went as a kid and I’ve started going again recently. One of the reasons I stopped was because of the arrogance and crappy attitude of fans like you Gavin.
You have a league that was basically slowly dying for years and half the fanbase resented anyone who might want to take a passing interest because they weren’t a die hard day 1.
I was questioned like an escaped convict as a 12yo because I was overheard talking about a Liverpool game during a boring passage of play. Asking me to name the players on the team to prove I was a “real fan”. Didn’t attend another game for over 15 years.
Thankfully the games seem more welcoming to new and casual fans these days.
You have to build a love for a team. Criticising anyone who isn’t a die hard immediately won’t help build a fanbase.
Yes 100s of times, Loved going to watch football at the Greyhound Stadium in Harold’s Cross, Shelbourne and St Pats played there,, Also remember George Best playing in a match at the Cross
Prefer watching the indoor bowling on the telly….more exciting
@James Carolan: stick to that so
@Brian Dunne: Thanks, I will
Used too but the atrocious price of the tickets would put you off, cheaper to go watch Bayern Munich
@ferrett: can’t part with 10-15 euro?
@ferrett: how do you get to Munich and back for 15 quid?
@ferrett: Even when you factor in flights,accommodation and all that.
@Deano: would love to attend those Dublin derby games Bohs Rovers Pats Shels etc. ..but being from kerry it would cost an arm and a leg.Youre looking at £1000+ now for a weekend in Dublin.So I can see the attraction of Manchester Liverpool etc..
@Gavin Gray: to watch that pish? I’d rather keep it thanks
@ferrett: That’s it just change the subject when someone points out you havent a clue.
I remember going to a rovers game years ago and Margaret thatcher died during the game. And they all sang thank god the witch is dead
@pBDSiMMi: So? She was an enemy of the Irish, and a lot of the English too. An evil, despicable woman and one the world is better off without
@Art Vandelay: I never said she wasn’t , I was pointing out the last game I went was when she died and everyone sang together. Lord , no matter what you say here there is always someone who has to twist the words like I was saying she was amazing.
@Art Vandelay: She was a great lady, an Iron Lady. So much better than the ladies we have running the show in IRL these days.
Go to the cross semi regularly. It’s been depressing this year though.
Am I allowed too? app if you dare watch any football other than international games thats not LOI you arent a real fan according to the LOI hardcore element
@Tom Newell: funny I bet you’d be the first one complaining that the Irish team can’t quality for anything
No it’s s hi te
@Jimmy Wallace: that’s it in a nutshell jimmy. Been a united fan all my life and only went to my first loi game in my twenties. But soon fell in love with it and my club, bohs. Every friday night with my brother and friends, seeing the same faces around dalyer and having the craic. Magic.
@Jimmy Wallace: get yourself a new soapbox you wanted to try out Jimmy?
@Jimmy Wallace: it didn’t
Not a league match, but I was hired to carry out the plinth for the Cup Final in 2006. We could clock off as soon as the cup was awarded. We didn’t get our overtime!
Like someone else above, many a Friday in Richmond Park but too sadly, the scrote content got too high for me.
Niot since Rovers were in Milltown.
Tis a one team league, pure boring for the last few years with Shams winning at a canter constantly. No competition
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: just like Man City in the Premier League so.
Yes, a long time ago
@RIP: RIP
My first LoI match was Rovers V. UCD in………. MILLTOWN!! Giving away my age!
Back when Billy Baxter managed Monaghan United.
Used to go to Dundalk games, when I was young and had no sense.
Went to Milltown a bit as a “culchie” student in Dublin in the late 80′s. Been to a decent few games over the years since then in Athlone, Kilkenny, Kildare, Pats, Bohs.
Never saw a rugby game in my life though! Gaelic football still my preference, shite and all as some of the games are!
A real joy on a Friday evening before a hot bag of chips and a stroll home chatting about the game.
So yesterdays record attendance means Bohs & Pats are the biggest clubs in Ireland with the most fanbase ?
Too many scrotes.
They should move the fixtures to a more accessible time. A lot of 8-9pm fixtures which makes it a challenge for families and grassroots players to attend.
I’v been going since 1969 when Fran Fields and Patsy McGowan invented LOI.
have your say