Dee Forbes resigns as RTÉ director general with immediate effect
Dee Forbes was suspended from her role last Wednesday after news broke that Mr Tubridy was paid an extra €345,000 by RTÉ since 2017.
The director general of RTÉ Dee Forbes has resigned with immediate effect.
In a statement on Monday morning, Ms Forbes said she is "deeply sorry" for her part in the situation involving hidden payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy.
Ms Forbes was suspended from her role last Wednesday after news broke that Mr Tubridy was paid an extra €345,000 by RTÉ since 2017.
Story at a glance:
- Dee Forbes resigns with immediate effect.
- Ms Forbes led discussions on Tubridy contract "with other RTÉ senior executives".
- Ms Forbes critical of RTÉ Board for how it has treated her, saying it has impacted her health.
- RTÉ to issue on Tuesday a comprehensive statement setting out its understanding of the circumstances surrounding the misstating of Mr Tubridy's earnings.
- Ms Forbes no longer compelled to attend Oireachtas committees this week. PAC member Imelda Munster says she should volunteer to attend.
In a statement on Monday morning, she said: "I regret very much the upset and adverse publicity suffered by RTÉ, its staff and the unease created among the public in recent days. As Director General, I am the person ultimately accountable for what happens within the organisation and I take that responsibility seriously. I am tendering my resignation to RTÉ with immediate effect."
Ms Forbes' term as director general was due to end on July 11. RTÉ has previously announced that Kevin Bakhurst will replace her.
Ms Forbes noted that she had co-operated with questions around the payments to Mr Tubridy, and that there were a number of points she found “important to emphasise".
She explained that discussions over a new contract for Mr Tubridy began in 2020, with an RTÉ commitment to Government to reduce the fees paid to RTÉ’s top talent by 15% overall a major point.
Ms Forbes led the discussions "with other RTÉ senior executives", noting they were “keen” to make a cost saving “in respect of a contractual payment which was due to be paid".
She said: “At the same time, we were attempting to retain Ryan Tubridy’s services as a valued presenter and negotiate a new contract, with the agreed 15% cost-cutting target in mind.
Ms Forbes said that an agreement was reached which meant that the commercial partner would enter into a separate commercial contract with Mr Tubridy for €75k in exchange for the provision of three events annually.
The statement continued: “As a result of the negotiated cost-saving agreement, RTÉ would no longer be liable for a contractual payment that was due in 2020. This new commercial agreement required that RTÉ guarantee and underwrite the €75K payments.
“The commercial partner agreed to this new business relationship with Ryan Tubridy, but they required the change to be cost-neutral, as they were in the final year of a three-year sponsorship contract and this was done by issuing a credit note for €75k against their airtime.”
Ms Forbes said that she did not “at any stage act contrary to any advice,” adding that pandemic restrictions meant the commitment wasn’t met in 2020 and 2021 and that the commercial partner informed RTÉ that it was “not going to work in the long term.”
At this point, only one €75k payment had been made.
Ms Forbes claims that the 2021 and 2022 contractual commitments now “fell to RTÉ under the guarantee even though RTÉ had never expected to become liable for them and had not budgeted for them.
“Because of the commercial nature of the arrangement, it was decided to pay the invoices from the commercial barter account which was in credit. We were motivated purely by the need to find a solution to honour the contractual obligation.”
Ms Forbes said that at all times, she and RTÉ “acted in good faith”.
Her statement did not address why Mr Tubridy's published pay was different to what he actually earned. Ms Forbes also said her statement only related to the events of 2020-2022.
"I understand from media reports and RTÉ’s statement that the Board has raised questions concerning payments to Ryan Tubridy between 2017-2019. I have no knowledge of those payments and the Board has not raised those questions with me."
Questions still remain over who exactly signed off on the deal.
Ms Forbes did not say if she would attend either of the two Oireachtas committee meetings that are scheduled to take place later this week.
Sinn Féin's Imelda Munster, who sits on both the Public Accounts Committee and Media Committee, said that Ms Forbes is no longer “compelled to attend” the meetings but hoped she would "volunteer" to go.
Speaking to RTÉ’s , she said: “I suppose the public might be of the opinion that the resignation is a convenient move, if it’s designed solely to give an out to not attending the Committee.
“Whilst now she’s not compelled to attend, she could actually volunteer to attend the committee in the interests of transparency and accountability.
“If she cares deeply about RTÉ and the people that work for it, then she needs to come and answer the questions. If she doesn’t, she’ll be doing RTÉ and the people that work there a huge disservice. It’s all about accountability and transparency.”
Ms Munster said that the PAC will meet later today to decide whether to renew their summons to Ms Forbes to appear, noting that she “expects that” to be the case.
However, she noted that “anyone who had knowledge of what went on, anyone who knew about the concealed payments” would need to appear, saying that Ms Forbes was a “key component.”
Seamus Dooley of the NUJ called for the Chair of the RTÉ Board to meet with teach member to clarify their individual involvement in the process outlined by Ms Forbes.
In a statement, he said: "It would be a matter for the board to deal with the outcome of these meetings, having due regard to the need for due process, fair procedures, and the imperative of restoring trust in the Executive board among staff, the members of the Oireachtas and the public."
Meanwhile, Ms Forbes also hit out at the RTÉ Board for how it has treated her, saying it has had a very serious impact on her health.
"I want to reiterate that I have engaged fully with the Board during this process.
"All of this has had a very serious and ongoing impact on my health and wellbeing."
Ms Forbes apologised "to everyone" saying she is "deeply sorry for what has happened and my part in this episode".
"I care very deeply about RTÉ, the people who work for it, the public it serves, its mission, values, its unique position as a public service broadcaster and its reputation. I will continue to do so as RTÉ moves forward under the new Director General."
The RTÉ Board said that they acknowledged Ms Forbes resignation in a later statement on Monday morning.
They said: "We acknowledge receipt this morning of correspondence from Dee Forbes confirming her resignation as director general with immediate effect. We note the contents of her accompanying statement.
"Representatives of the RTÉ Board and Executive will be attending the Joint Oireachtas Committee and Public Accounts Committee this week."
The RTÉ Board released a later statement in which they raised questions about the nature of the matter.
"The public, public representatives and RTÉ staff want to know what happened, how it happened and who is accountable.
"We are very mindful of the need to provide clarity as soon as possible, and we are committed to doing so."
In the statement, RTÉ said that on Tuesday it will issue a comprehensive statement setting out its understanding of the circumstances surrounding the misstating of Mr Tubridy's earnings across the 2020-2022 period.
RTÉ will also publish as much as possible of the Grant Thornton review, which was commissioned by the Audit and Risk Committee of the RTÉ Board, and received by the Board on Monday last, June 19 2023.
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