Coalition leaders to discuss reports on RTÉ governance and culture

Catherine Martin said Government must decide RTÉ's funding model. Picture: Denis Minihane

Coalition leaders will discuss the latest reports on RTÉ’s culture and governance in the coming days as the summer deadline for licence-fee reform approaches.

Media Minister Catherine Martin received two government-commissioned reports last weekend, which focus on HR and on governance and culture at the State broadcaster.

Ms Martin confirmed the reports have been provided to the three coalition leaders, with discussions on their contents to take place at the weekly leaders' meeting on Monday.

Government sources were unsure as to whether or not Ms Martin would bring forward the reports to Cabinet for consideration next Tuesday, citing their length. One report is up to 500 pages long, it is understood.

The long-awaited reports had initially been expected to arrive at the end of February, but were only delivered to Ms Martin last weekend.

Speaking in Sligo, Ms Martin said she has given the two reports “detailed consideration” over the last few days.

“I think the two reports on culture, governance, and HR are the ones of most significance. I have the Mazar [report] too, but those two are the only ones since this crisis emerged that will have and do have recommendations,” Ms Martin said.

She said those recommendations are for both RTÉ and the Government.

Minister Catherine Martin said she hopes the recommendations will be 'positively received' by RTÉ. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The minister said she hopes the recommendations will be “positively received” by RTÉ. She added that there is now an onus on the Government to make a decision on the future funding model for the public broadcaster.

However, Ms Martin declined to comment on the specific recommendations within the reports, saying she would first engage with cabinet colleagues on the matter.

Government ministers have repeatedly committed to making a decision on RTÉ’s future funding model before the Dáil summer recess, with Ms Martin saying that she favours direct Exchequer funding for the public-service broadcaster.

The arrival of the reports follows a rocky start to Ms Martin’s year, after she effectively sacked the former chair of RTÉ’s board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, during a Prime Time broadcast in February.

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Ms Martin repeatedly declined to express confidence in Ms Ní Raghallaigh, after differences of opinion emerged in the accounts of whether or not a former senior RTÉ executive had received an exit package from the broadcaster.

Following Ms Ní Raghallaigh’s resignation, Ms Martin appointed Terence O’Rourke as the new RTÉ board chair.

In early March, the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) called for the state broadcaster to be brought under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).

At the time, the proposal was described as “sensible” by now Taoiseach Simon Harris.

The powerful committee also recommended that any future severance agreement must not contain confidentiality clauses, as well as calling for arrangements to be made to require departing employees to engage with any internal or external inquiries.