Staff frustrated by 'grubby picture' painted of RTÉ at PAC hearing
Members of the NUJ union protesting outside RTÉ television studios in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
The chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch expressed the frustration felt by staff at the "grubby picture" of RTÉ that has emerged from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Speaking on , Emma O'Kelly, a journalist with RTÉ, highlighted the contrast in pay and treatment between regular staff and what is referred to as 'talent,' which only fueled more anger and stress among employees.
Ms O'Kelly voiced concerns that RTÉ seemed to have lost sight of its public service obligations.
“We all know that it's a dual funding model," she said.
"We all know that there's always been a tension or a conflict between the commercial side of RTÉ and that public service remit.
"But anybody listening yesterday and hearing about cars being made available, given to contractors and even one staff member and all these trips to the K Club and the Rugby World Cup, etc.
“It would seem to us that the commercial is certainly winning," she added.
She further noted the disconnect between the ideals of the news and programming teams and what RTÉ seems to prioritise at present.
Ms O'Kelly pointed out that RTÉ's public service statement, released in March, states the station's independence from political and commercial influences, however, she questioned the validity of this statement in light of the recent events.
“And really, after yesterday, you really have to ask, well, are we?” she asked.
Ms O'Kelly said that since 2019 the NUJ branch at RTÉ has advocated for pay caps within the organization, using the top civil service salary as a benchmark.
“We felt back then that no one in the organisation and that includes on-air talent and executives, no one should be on more than the top civil service salary, which at that time was around €280,000.” Ms O'Kelly expressed the NUJ's support for disclosing all salary details, considering that public funds pay these wages, thereby advocating for transparency and accountability.
Concerning the future of the organization, staff members are deeply worried.
Mr O'Kelly urged the government to "grasp the nettle" amd address the pressing need for a sustainable and fair funding model for public service broadcasting.
"One thing is really clear from this week," she said, "and that is the urgent need to create a sustainable and decent model of public funding for RTÉ to take us out of the grasp of these grubby commercial interests and allow us to do our job.”
Moreover, she identified governance and cultural issues within RTÉ, underscoring the prevalence of individuals who feel unheard and overlooked. Gender inequality was also a significant concern.
Ms O'Kelly emphasized the necessity for work-life balance and family-friendly practices within the organisation.
"This is another area that we absolutely will be asking RTÉ, yet again, to openly and in a spirit of partnership, sit down with its workers and look to chart a new way forward for a reformed RTÉ that is fit for purpose and that lives up to what the public who pay for us deserve of us.”
Earlier, Seamus Dooley, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), said that only the truth will protect public service broadcasting.
Mr Dooley said the controversy surrounding Ryan Tubridy's payments exposed a lack of accountability and transparency within RTÉ.
Speaking on , he said he was “still somewhat shocked” at the revelations presented during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, saying the circumstances called to mind the Walter Scott quote, "What a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive."
Mr Dooley said while the NUJ staunchly defended public service broadcasting, it raised concerns about RTÉ's associations with third parties and the influence wielded by figures like Noel Kelly.
The unions had previously sought details regarding RTÉ's trip to the Rugby World Cup in Japan, which cost over €110,000 and had questioned the station's relationships with external entities.
Mr Dooley said that the entire saga was "a bit rich", but he believed it did not come as a surprise to RTÉ employees on the ground.
Regarding the publication of the Top 100 earners within the station, including several NUJ members within the Top 10, Mr Dooley expressed no objections.
He said the NUJ had always supported the disclosure of salaries at RTÉ.
“We have always been in favour of the publication of salaries within RTÉ, it was nonsense that the salary of the director general was published, but not of the other members of the executive board," he said.
Additionally, Mr Dooley called for a register of interests for all staff members.
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