Kenny tops RTÉ rich list to tune of €850k

INFLATION might be creeping upwards but RTÉ’s top stars are still managing to stay on top of things — with the likes of Pat Kenny, for instance, enjoying a 7.5% pay rise and earning €849,139 for his radio and TV work in 2006.

However, while Kenny actually earns quite a bit more than Marian Finucane, she emerges as the highest earner when their hourly rates are compared.

With just four hours on-air each week, Finucane is RTÉ’s highest-earning woman.

She presents a two-hour radio show every Saturday and Sunday.

She was paid €455,190 in 2006.

That’s a hefty €2,188.42 an hour, without taking holidays into account, which is somewhat above the current minimum wage of €8.65 per hour.

Between his TV and radio jobs, Kenny actually spends 12 hours on air each week.

As the star of 2FM’s top-rated radio show and the Ryan Confidential television series, Gerry Ryan was paid €558,990 in 2006.

This was up from €520,685 in ’05, keeping him at number two in the RTÉ rich list.

After Finucane — whose show is the highest-rated of the weekend schedules and the fifth most popular radio show in the country — Joe Duffy comes in at number four on almost €368,000.

The sizeable figure reflects the phenomenal success of his Liveline show.

There’s no place in the latest top 10 rankings for either Tommie Gorman or Charlie Bird, both of whom made the 2005 rankings.

Instead, Bryan Dobson and Marty Whelan have entered the list.

The latter’s appearance is likely to prove short-lived, however.

He was dropped from 2FM’s breakfast show early in 2007 in favour of the Colm and Jim Jim format.

Since then, the broadcasting veteran has filled in on the 2FM schedules in the absence of regular presenters.

He has also been fronting the Fame and Fortune lottery show, as well as providing the voiceover for RTÉ’s Eurovision Song Contest coverage.

Miriam O’Callaghan maintains her place as the second highest paid woman in RTÉ.

She earned €221,383 for her Prime Time and summer chat show services.

Others making up the list are Ryan Tubridy, Derek Mooney and John Kelly.

Just three of the top 10 earners — namely Derek Mooney, Marty Whelan and Bryan Dobson — were listed as “employees” of RTÉ.

The rest are categorised as working as contractors — through their own companies.

These companies range from Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd to Claddaghgreen Ltd (belonging to Joe Duffy) to Baby Blue Productions Ltd (belonging to Miriam O’Callaghan).

Information on the top earners and their total earnings are provided by RTÉ in line with a prior commitment given by the broadcaster’s director general to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

Not included in the list are broadcasters who may appear on RTÉ but don’t have a “direct contractual relationship” with the organisation.