Kenny’s and Duffy’s firms see cash gains

The cash piles at the media companies owned by two of RTÉ’s highest-paid stars Pat Kenny and Joe Duffy rose dramatically last year.

Accounts recently filed by Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd show that its cash rose by 61% — from €177,241 to €285,547 — in the 12 months to June 30.

Accounts lodged by Joe Duffy’s firm, Claddaghgreen Ltd, show its cash rose by 89% last year, from €105,728 to €199,833.

Mr Kenny’s company accounts show accumulated profits increased more than seven-fold last year, going from €21,506 to €168,662.

Claddaghgreen’s accumulated profits increased almost three-fold, from €59,372 to €154,502 in the 12 months to the end of April last.

The increase in cash and profits at Pat Kenny’s firm comes in spite of the Frontline presenter taking a significant salary cut in 2009, down to €729,604 from €950,976 in 2008.

Despite the €221,372 payment cut, Mr Kenny — who is not a staff member at RTÉ, but works under contract, remained the best-paid earner at RTÉ in 2009.

The station’s figures for 2009 show Liveline presenter Duffy was the fifth best-paid presenter when Claddaghgreen was paid €389,314 in 2009.

Mr Duffy — who is also on contract — last October confirmed he had taken a 30% cut, in three tranches, reducing his pay from €408,889 to €286,22 per annum.

Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd last year paid corporation tax of €20,189 after not paying any such tax in 2010.

In the firm’s creditors’ list, the company owed a further €59,821 in taxes and social security costs.

Pat Kenny has described the salaries of the State broadcaster’s stars as “trivial” compared to those paid to Premier League footballers.

“I often wonder why there isn’t the same fuss over the salaries paid to footballers like John O’Shea, earning more in three weeks than Marian Finucane earns in a year,” he said. “There is a double standard there. These people put themselves on the line, they entertain the nation week in, week out, and yet they are paid a trivial amount compared to footballers.”

The two directors of Pat Kenny Media Services are Pat Kenny and his wife Kathy and they had outstanding loans to the company of €17,197 at the financial year-end. The directors of Claddaghgreen are listed as Joe Duffy and his wife June Meehan.