EU report says RTÉ needs new financial watchdog

THE Government will have to set up an independent national authority to check how RTÉ spends its money, including the annual €70 million it nets from licence fees.

An investigation by the European Commission found there was too much blurring of the lines between what the station spends on its public broadcasting remit and in other areas such as imported programmes.

The report, issued in Brussels yesterday, says it should be clear from the accounts what portion of the station’s money comes from State accounts and where it is being spent.