RTÉ: 'Inappropriate' to seek top 100 earners' permission to publish names and salaries
RTÉ has been asked for a list of those among the top 100 earners who agreed to have their details released. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
RTÉ has refused to publish a list of its top 100 earners, saying it would be “inappropriate” to ask staff for permission to release their names alongside their salaries.
It comes as 178 documents were released to Oireachtas media committee members ahead of a meeting on Wednesday.
The broadcaster was asked for a list of those among the top 100 earners who agreed to have their details released.
RTÉ said the request is premised on the understanding that staff had been asked whether they were prepared to have their names released, however, it “did not put this question to staff”.
“It remains inappropriate to ask staff for permission to release their names alongside their salaries,” the note read.
It said that if RTÉ was to provide a list of those who have chosen not to have their salaries published, alongside a list of those who are prepared to have their salaries published, the “permissioning exercise” would become “redundant”.
It said it would be possible to identify those who did not give permission “and potentially even to pinpoint their exact salary with reference to other information”.
Separately, documents received reveal that 61 people received a car allowance as of December 31, 2022, coming to a cost of €656,651.
The amount received varies per employee from €1,000 to €25,000.
The payments are made fortnightly or monthly and are unvouched, despite a separate document confirming that there is no requirement to have a driving licence.
Among the documents was also a note which revealed that the promotional value of between May and December of 2022 had a “notional value” of approximately €1.3m.
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