Director general has 'categorically refuted' that RTÉ is looking for more funding

The public service broadcaster was bailed out by the last government in 2024, when, then media minister, Catherine Martin, pledged €725m in ringfenced funding over three years. File picture Denis Minihane

RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst has “categorically refuted" suggestions that RTÉ is looking for additional public funding ahead of a much-anticipated appearance at the Dáil Public Accounts Committee.

The public service broadcaster was bailed out by the last government in 2024, when, then media minister, Catherine Martin, pledged €725m in ringfenced funding to RTÉ over three years. 

A commitment was also made to top up licence fee revenue each year.

Briefing documents provided to the PAC ahead of RTÉ’s appearance on Thursday confirmed the broadcaster will require €54.79m in Government funding in 2026. 

This is up from €41.3m in 2025.

However, in an email to RTÉ staff on Wednesday, Mr Bakhurst disputed suggestions that the increase in the funding amounted to another bailout.

Despite the figure for 2026 appearing in the PAC briefing docs, he told staff that the total Government funding required would not be known until licence fee revenue for 2026 is calculated at the end of the year.

“We categorically refute any suggestion that RTÉ is looking for any additional public funding beyond the commitment already provided from Government,” Mr Bakhurst said.

“We have said we will deliver our strategy within the funding commitment already given — which we remain very grateful for — and that remains the case.

“For absolute clarity, the Government has committed to providing public funding to RTÉ of €725m over three years, from 2025 to 2027. 

This is phased as follows over the three years: €225m in 2025, €240m this year, and €260m in 2027.”

The briefing documents note that licence fee income in 2025 was €184m, an increase of 5% compared to 2024.

There was a 3% decline in TV licence fee sales, but this was offset by the Department of Social Protection providing “free” licences to some cohorts.

The number of €160 licences sold by the end of May 2026 fell to 299,000. 

This was down 5% compared to the 315,000 licences sold by the end of May 2025.

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RTÉ found itself thrust into the spotlight in summer 2023 when it emerged that it had undeclared presenter Ryan Tubridy’s earnings by €345,000 over a five-year period. 

Subsequent Oireachtas hearings revealed extravagant spending by the national broadcaster at a time when it was seeking increased Government funding.

RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst Picture: Leah Farrell 

RTÉ will tell PAC members that TV licence fee sales have declined by 19% since 2022, the last full year before the scandal. 

Some 179,000 fewer licences were sold in 2025 than in 2022.

Some 424,000 (21%) of households have said that they do not have a television and have no obligation to pay the licence fee.

RTÉ bosses will tell PAC that they will record a surplus in their 2025 financial accounts, driven by “continued solid commercial revenue performance, tightly controlled headcount costs during the year, the achievement of additional in-year cost savings and other savings due to the deferral of certain projects to 2026”.

Elsewhere, PAC has also been told that 720 RTÉ employees receive 1,010 allowances valued at €3.3m. 

Some 35% of these are classified as long service increments. Some 23% of allowances are non-pensionable.

Despite committing to reducing its headcount by 400 by 2028, the total number of people employed in RTÉ fell from 1,826 at the end of 2024 to 1,801 at the end of 2025. 

Another 58 people left in January 2026 through RTÉ’s voluntary exit programme.

Some 67 people left through the scheme in 2025, with another 30 roles suppressed. 

This will save €8.4m but cost the organisation €8.5m.