RTÉ hit with 29 separate sets of  legal proceedings for defamation

File photo RTƒ DIRECTOR GENERAL Dee Forbes has said plans to announce widespread cuts at the company were put on hold due to the death of broadcasting legend Gay Byrne.Ê

RTÉ has been hit with 29 separate sets of legal proceedings for defamation over the past six years with a sharp uptick in cases so far this year.

The cases have cost the broadcaster more than €4.7m — or an average of around €160,000 each — although not all the cases have yet been closed and costs are likely to rise still further.