JOE DUFFY REMAINED RTÉ’s highest-paid presenter in 2024, earning €351,000 for the year, the same amount as in 2023, according to the broadcaster’s latest annual report.

The veteran Liveline host, who retired this year after 37 years at RTÉ and 27 years fronting the show, once again led the list of top on-air talent.

Behind Duffy, the top ten presenters for 2024 were:

1. Joe Duffy: €351,000
2. Claire Byrne: €280,000
3. Patrick Kielty: €257,657
4. Miriam O’Callaghan: €246,708
5. Brendan O’Connor: €244,099
6. Ray D’Arcy: €220,409
7. Mary Wilson: €209,545
8. Dáithí Ó Sé: €196,885
9. George Lee: €195,939
10. Darragh Maloney: €194,902

Notably, Claire Byrne, who was paid €280,000 in 2024, is set to leave RTÉ later this year to join rival broadcaster Newstalk, where she will take over the mid-morning slot from early 2026.

Meanwhile, Patrick Kielty has cemented his place among the top earners after taking the helm of RTÉ’s flagship Late Late Show last year.

Miriam O’Callaghan, Brendan O’Connor and Ray D’Arcy all recorded pay decreases between 2023 and 2024, while Darragh Maloney, George Lee and Mary Wilson recorded pay bumps on the previous year.

While the presenter list continues to draw attention, RTÉ’s newly published figures show that senior management now dominate the top overall earners.

Director General Kevin Bakhurst was the second-highest paid person at RTÉ in 2024, on €339,954.

Under a policy introduced by Bakhurst, no RTÉ employee can earn more than the Director General.

His 2024 remuneration comprised a €250,000 salary, €62,500 pension contribution, €25,000 in allowances, and €2,454 in additional payments.

He was followed by Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch (€292,285), Director of Operations, Technology and Transformation Richard Waghorn (€287,120), and Managing Director of News & Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy (€281,187).

The publication of both presenter and executive pay is part of RTÉ’s transparency measures, introduced in the wake of the Ryan Tubridy payments controversy.

The report also discloses that a former senior executive received a severance payment of €475,000, including legal fees.

RTÉ reported a financial surplus for 2024, driven by increased commercial revenue despite continuing declines in licence fee income.

The broadcaster said it remains under “significant financial pressure” as it works to deliver on its public service remit while recovering public trust and reforming its operations.