Simon Harris: Bringing RTÉ under C&AG is 'sensible' thing to do 

Simon Harris said he hopes Cabinet can appoint a new RTÉ board chair on Tuesday following the resignation of Siún Ní Raghallaigh. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Bringing RTÉ under the remit of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is a “sensible” thing to do, Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has said.

His comments follow a recommendation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in a report which is due to be published with 20 measures on Tuesday.

The report, seen by the Irish Examiner includes a broad range of measures including:

• RTÉ reveal how much it has paid for the three Grant Thornton reviews and McCann Fitzgerald review;
• That RTÉ ensures that “no side deals” akin to that agreed in Ryan Tubridy’s 2020-2025 contract are undertaken in relation to contracts for employees or contractors going forward;
• RTÉ to introduce a written policy on negotiations with agents to ensure the leadership team and board are fully informed, negotiations documented, and more than one member of the leadership team is involved in any such negotiation; 
• PAC to be given a progress report on RTÉ’s register of gifts and outside interests for executives and presenters; 
• RTÉ should report the exact amounts paid out to former members of staff upon their departure from the broadcaster in its annual reports going forward; 
• RTÉ to keep PAC informed about further settlements with Revenue.

Mr Harris has joined Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in backing the broadcaster being brought under the remit of the C&AG.

He said the month of March should mark when “we move from revelation to recommendation”. 

Mr Harris said he hopes Cabinet can appoint a new RTÉ board chair on Tuesday following the resignation of Siún Ní Raghallaigh.

A number of potential names appeared in weekend media reports including former HSE CEO, Paul Reid.

Sources have said Mr Reid has been asked if he would be prepared for his name to be considered. 

It's understood Mr Reid and a number of other people who were approached are considering the role this weekend before media minister Catherine Martin and the government decide who is best for the job.

Future funding model for RTÉ

Mr Harris told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics programme that the government will make a decision on the future funding model for the broadcaster and he wants a decision by summer.

He said RTÉ hasn’t made it easy for the Coalition to make the decision, given it is taxpayers money and “they'd like to at least know that they're not paying for flip flops”. 

He reiterated his call on RTÉ to restore confidence in the station by publishing the aggregate figures in terms of exit payments for the last few years and publish a methodology paper. 

He said it is his understanding that the director general Kevin Bakhurst has described his suggestions as “reasonable” at a recent staff meeting adding “if it's reasonable, please get on and do it".