Jim Power: RTÉ and FAI chaos is drawing attention away from urgent economic issues

While our media and political classes are going into convulsions, the real problems and issues facing the economy are not getting anything like the attention that they deserve.

A real case in point is the extreme pressures that are mounting for significant components of the retail and hospitality sector.

Over the past week, we have been treated to another deluge of evidence demonstrating the lack of respect that certain agencies have for taxpayers’ money.

The FAI apparently used some of its covid support funding to pay down some of its debt rather than using it for mandated purposes. Over at RTÉ the circus continues with evidence that the largely taxpayer-funded state broadcasting service paid significant severance packages to senior management who departed the company on the back of corporate failure on many different levels. While these severance packages were being paid, the agency sought and received another bailout from the Exchequer.