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RTÉ Studios in Donnybrook, Dublin. Alamy Stock Photo

RTÉ recorded €9.1m deficit last year, with a €17.3m decline in TV Licence fee income

RTÉ says a decline in TV licence renewals and an increase in operating costs contributed to the deficit.

RTÉ POSTED A deficit of €9.1 million in 2023, with the national broadcaster describing it as a “challenging year for the organisation”.

This is a stark increase on the deficit of €2.8 million recorded in 2022, which RTÉ described at the time as “modest”.

The broadcaster today released its Annual Report for 2023.

RTÉ revenue comes from both commercial sources and the TV licence.

Its total revenue was down €3.7 million between last year and 2022 - €344.0 million in 2023 vs €347.7 million in 2022.

However, RTÉ said a decline in TV licence revenues is one of the reasons for its net deficit.

The Licence fee income received by RTÉ last year was down €17.3 million when compared to 2022.

A spokesperson said “TV licence sales were negatively impacted by the RTÉ payments controversy”.

The spokesperson added that “while this decline was somewhat offset by the additional €15m of interim funding, this additional funding was already allocated in RTÉs 2023 plans”.

The interim funding meant that TV Licence revenue declined by €2.3 million (€193.3 million in 2023 vs €195.6 million in 2022).

RTÉ also pointed to an increase in operating costs as a driving force behind the deficit.

Operating costs, excluding special events, increased by €9.3 million year-on-year (€341.9 million in 2023 vs €332.6 million in 2022) as the 2022 pay agreement with RTÉ’s union took effect.

RTÉ also provided for additional amounts relating to the on-going investigation by the Department of Social Protection into the PRSI status of contractors.

Meanwhile, special events last year included the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, UEFA European qualifiers and the visit of US President Joe Biden, which cost RTÉ €7.4 million, an increase of €0.7 million on 2022.

Commercial revenue was also down slightly last year, with RTÉ taking in €150.7m versus €152.1m in 2022.

Director-General of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst acknowledged that last year was a “difficult year for all of us in RTÉ and for the many who had placed their trust in us”.

He said RTÉ has “faced the key issues head on and been committed to delivering the transformation RTÉ needs to rebuild trust and restore confidence”.

Bakhurst added that there is now “greater transparency, rigour in our decision-making and more financial discipline”.

He also said RTÉ is “grateful to all those who have paid their TV Licence during this period”.

Bakhurst said RTÉ “remain committed to addressing key issues, through the delivery of our five-year strategy”.

This strategy includes the loss of 400 jobs, limiting presenter salaries, and closing the RTÉ One +1 and RTÉ2 +1 channels.

Bakhurst also said RTÉ is “thankful for the multi-annual government funding which will enable us to plan ahead and to achieve our vision to evolve RTÉ”.

RTÉ is to receive €725 million in government funding over the next three years. 

Meanwhile, Chair of the Board of RTÉ, Terence O’Rourke, said that while the publication of the report is an “opportunity to reflect on the challenging year that 2023 was, we are very much focused on the important work now well underway to transform the organisation”.

Elsewhere, the report noted that RTÉ delivered 42 of the top 50 most-watched TV shows in Ireland last year.

It was also the biggest year for the RTÉ Player, with 35 million streaming hours across 105 million streams, with 1.8 million unique users a month.

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    Mute John Fagan
    Favourite John Fagan
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    May 26th 2023, 4:45 PM

    Will management be working a seven day roster? I doubt that very much.

    247
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    Mute Mary Conneely
    Favourite Mary Conneely
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    May 27th 2023, 12:06 AM

    @John Fagan: they already are.

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    Mute Barbara Coleman
    Favourite Barbara Coleman
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    May 27th 2023, 12:13 PM

    @John Fagan: well if Irish Rail, Dublin Bus already do this – I don’t see why something as important as hospitals don’t do it. Many a bed was taken up by patients who couldn’t go home because the doctor / consultant wasn’t working week ends !

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    Mute Tilal Moore
    Favourite Tilal Moore
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    May 26th 2023, 4:23 PM

    We havent enough staff to cover 5 days. Solution: make them cover 7 days?
    BTW staff always do emergency cover

    199
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    Mute S
    Favourite S
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    May 26th 2023, 5:02 PM

    HSE staff are already burnt out. EDs are overflowing with overcrowding normally seen at the height of winter not late Spring/early Summer. I’m not sure what the answer is but it’s not this

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    Mute Mary Walshe
    Favourite Mary Walshe
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    May 26th 2023, 7:46 PM

    @S: More home based services for the elderly would be a start. Too many elderly people who are not sick per se, clogging up hospital beds. Pay the carers a decent wage and free up the hospital system. The country never had so much money at its disposal so I can’t see the problem with it.

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    Mute S
    Favourite S
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    May 26th 2023, 8:32 PM

    @Mary Walshe: completely agree with you on that. Plus once in the hospitals the medical team order scans and tests that are nearly always not needed, are invasive, uncomfortable, scary and can cause more problems than they can diagnose (eg kidney damage from dye).

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    Mute Gerry Kelly
    Favourite Gerry Kelly
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    May 26th 2023, 5:15 PM

    Would it not be easier for the govt/HSE to make it illegal for anyone to get sick/have an accident/ have a heart attack/ deliver a baby between Friday afternoon & Monday morning ???

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    Mute Darren Mc Mahon
    Favourite Darren Mc Mahon
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    May 26th 2023, 4:13 PM

    Because it makes sense in theory. The reality will be a tricky one.

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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
    Favourite Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    May 27th 2023, 2:45 AM

    Try making an appointment with your GP say for a dislocated elbow. I was given a 9 day away appointment. 9 days!
    Told me to go to a hospital if i want to be seen quickly. I asked why its takes so long to get an appointment, her reply : covid.
    This country is ruined by FFG, ruined.

    33
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