RTÉ’S DIRECTOR GENERAL Dee Forbes has resigned with immediate effect following revelations of undisclosed payments made to the broadcaster’s top earner Ryan Tubridy.
It emerged on Friday last week that Forbes had been suspended as director on the previous Wednesday, just weeks before she had been due to step down from the role.
“I regret very much the upset and adverse publicity suffered by RTÉ, its staff and the unease created among the public in recent days,” Forbes wrote in a statement.
“As Director General, I am the person ultimately accountable for what happens within the organisation and I take that responsibility seriously.
“I am tendering my resignation to RTÉ with immediate effect.”
The statement went on to outline the timeline of events relating to Tubridy’s contact negotiations and payments between 2020 and 2022, with Forbes saying “I did not at any stage act contrary to any advice”.
“At all times, I and the representatives of RTÉ acted in good faith. I fully accept and acknowledge responsibility for my part in these events as Director General,” the statement read.
Forbes closed the statement with some pointed words for the RTE board and an apology for her part in “this episode”.
“I want to reiterate that I have engaged fully with the Board during this process.
“However, the Board has 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. All of this has had a very serious and ongoing impact on my health and wellbeing”
“I am deeply sorry for what has happened and my part in this episode and for that I apologise unreservedly to everyone.”
The controversy arose after it was revealed on Thursday that Tubridy earned an extra €345,000 over the course of over six years that RTÉ had not previously disclosed.
Tubridy’s annual earnings published by RTÉ between the years 2017-2022 ranged from €440,000-€491,667 but a review carried out by Grant Thornton has found that his annual earnings from RTÉ in those years actually ranged from €511,667-€545,000.
The issue was partly the result of a deal which saw Tubridy receive additional income from commercial partner Renault, with that income guaranteed and underwritten by RTÉ.
The manner in which these payments were recorded led to an understatement of his earnings, with RTÉ apologising for the mistake. Tubridy himself has apologised for ‘not questioning’ the published figures but said doing so was RTÉ’s responsibility.
Adrian Lynch is currently standing in as RTÉ’s interim deputy director general before incoming director general Kevin Bakhurst takes up the role on 10 July.
Forbes’ departure makes it unclear who exactly will appear in front of two Oireachtas committees this week to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding the undisclosed payments made to Tubridy.
Representatives from RTE have been invited to come before the Oireachtas Media Committee on Wednesday and the Public Accounts Committee this Thursday.
In a statement issued this morning, RTÉ said that they had been made aware of Forbes’ resignation and that members of the board of executives would be appearing before the Oireachtas committees.
Media minister Catherine Martin met with Chair of the RTE board Siún Ní Raghallaigh over the weekend and announced the commissioning of an external review of corporate governance at the organisation.
This review of corporate governance will accompany another external review into the contract arrangements for the boradcaster’s top ten earners.
“The purpose of this review will be to determine what fundamental or systemic issues need to be addressed, including the adequacy of internal controls,” Martin said.
“While as Minister I cannot get involved in the day to day operation of RTÉ, I do need assurance that the governance and culture is fit for purpose.”
“Public trust in RTÉ must be rebuilt,” she added.
I regret very much the upset and adverse publicity suffered by RTÉ, its staff and the unease created among the public in recent days. As Director General, I am the person ultimately accountable for what happens within the organisation and I take that responsibility seriously. I am tendering my resignation to RTÉ with immediate effect.
I have engaged with and consistently co-operated with the processes directed towards answering questions surrounding payments to Ryan Tubridy. Much of the information in the Grant Thornton Report furnished to the Board of RTÉ has emerged in recent days. There are a number of points which I think are important to emphasise.
In early 2020 RTÉ began discussions around the renewal of Ryan Tubridy’s contract. That contract contained contractual payments that had been negotiated and put in place prior to my arrival at RTÉ. Discussions on the new contract were taking place in the context of major organisational challenges and a commitment from the RTÉ Executive Board to the Board and the Government to reduce the fees paid to RTÉ’s top talent by a further 15% overall as part of a wider cost cutting strategy.
As Director General, I led the discussions with the agent for Ryan Tubridy together with other RTÉ senior executives. We were keen to make a cost saving for RTÉ in respect of a contractual payment which was due to be paid. At the same time, we were attempting to retain Ryan Tubridy’s services as a valued presenter and negotiate a new contract, with the agreed 15% cost cutting target in mind. In an effort to find a solution to the budgetary challenges, we explored if a long serving commercial partner might take on a commercial relationship directly with Ryan Tubridy.
Following detailed discussions including numerous internal communications over many months with RTÉ colleagues, including finance and legal colleagues, an agreement was reached which delivered cost savings for RTÉ. This agreement meant that the commercial partner would enter into a separate commercial contract with Ryan Tubridy for €75k in exchange for the provision of three events annually.
As a result of the negotiated cost saving agreement, RTÉ would no longer be liable for a contractual payment that was due in 2020. This new commercial agreement required that RTÉ guarantee and underwrite the €75K payments.
The commercial partner agreed to this new business relationship with Ryan Tubridy, but they required the change to be cost neutral, as they were in the final year of a three-year sponsorship contract and this was done by issuing a credit note for €75k against their airtime.
I did not at any stage act contrary to any advice. Unfortunately, the pandemic restrictions meant that the commitment to the commercial client could not be met in 2020 and 2021 and was only delivered in 2022. The commercial partner informed us that the commercial arrangement was not going to work for them in the long term. At this point, only one €75k payment had been made.
Payment was sought for the 2021 and 2022 contractual commitments that now fell to RTÉ under the guarantee even though RTÉ had never expected to become liable for them and had not budgeted for them. Because of the commercial nature of the arrangement, it was decided to pay the invoices from the commercial barter account which was in credit. We were motivated purely by the need to find a solution to honour the contractual obligation.
At all times, I and the representatives of RTÉ acted in good faith. I fully accept and acknowledge responsibility for my part in these events as Director General.
This statement is directed to the events of 2020-2022. I understand from media reports and RTÉ’s statement that the Board has raised questions concerning payments to Ryan Tubridy between 2017-2019. I have no knowledge of those payments and the Board has not raised those questions with me.
Finally, I want to reiterate that I have engaged fully with the Board during this process. However, the Board has 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. All of this has had a very serious and ongoing impact on my health and wellbeing.
I am deeply sorry for what has happened and my part in this episode and for that I apologise unreservedly to everyone.
I care very deeply about RTÉ, the people who work for it, the public it serves, its mission, values, its unique position as a public service broadcaster and its reputation. I will continue to do so as RTÉ moves forward under the new Director General.
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