TDs call for Ryan Tubridy to appear before Oireachtas committees

Fine Gael TD for Mayo Alan Dillon: 'I believe he should be present to explain something which has led to a stain on Ryan Tubridy’s career. 

Two members of the Oireachtas committees which have invited RTÉ to appear before emergency hearings into the secret payments to Ryan Tubridy this week have called on the broadcaster to give his testimony.

Fine Gael TD for Mayo Alan Dillon, who is a member of both the media committee and the public accounts committee (PAC), told the Irish Examiner he has written to urge the PAC to invite Mr Tubridy to appear, along with senior RTÉ personnel including its director general and head of finance.

Mr Dillon also called on Mr Tubridy’s agent, Noel Kelly, to be present to explain Mr Tubridy’s pay arrangements, and whether he and RTÉ’s group head of commercial, Geraldine O’Leary, had agreed the method of payment.

While Mr Dillon said that he wasn’t sure if the remit of the Oireachtas hearings could extend beyond the executive of RTÉ, he believed Ryan Tubridy should volunteer himself to give testimony regardless.

“As someone who fully understands politics and the political ramifications of these actions, I believe he should be present to explain something which has led to a stain on Ryan Tubridy’s career,” he said.

“What needs to be established is the exact timeline here, from the initiation of the audit to the revelations which were brought back [by Grant Thornton], to the discovery of barter accounts and the revelations surrounding the issuance of underhand payments.

Sinn Féin TD for Louth Imelda Munster agreed that it was critical that Dee Forbes, the now suspended director general of RTÉ, should appear before the Oireachtas committee hearings on Wednesday and Thursday. Picture: Sam Boal/Rolling News

“Did it coincide with Ryan Tubridy stepping aside?

“That’s something that needs to be addressed, and also the contractual agreements with other top earners in the organisation, as well as the weaknesses in corporate governance — all this is a real area that the PAC and media committees will need to interrogate further.”

Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Imelda Munster, who also sits on both committees, agreed that it was critical that Dee Forbes, the now suspended director general of RTÉ, should appear before the hearings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Ms Munster said that she believed it may also be necessary for Ryan Tubridy to appear, but perhaps at a later date, to shed light on what has been an “absolutely shocking situation”.

Politically, she said the focus should be on Dee Forbes, as “it was Dee Forbes who had said to us before that the top stars had taken a 15% cut”.

“But did RTÉ management get involved in that separate deal and then conceal it? And was it a conversation similar to what people are saying: ‘You took a hit [under the reduction of salaries] but there is a way around this’?”

Regarding Noel Kelly, Alan Dillon said he would like to see Mr Kelly at both committee hearings.

“I would absolutely [welcome] Noel Kelly’s appearance before the committees, if he is willing to give us his time,” Mr Dillon added.