Taoiseach calls for Dee Forbes to 'give her side of the story' at Oireachtas meetings

Leo Varadkar also said Ryan Tubridy should appear before Oireachtas committees if asked

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks to the media during the third day of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy at Dublin Castle on Monday. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

There was wrong done at RTÉ, the Taoiseach says, but the country should not "throw the baby out with the bathwater". 

Leo Varadkar was speaking at Dublin Castle in the wake of Director General of the broadcaster Dee Forbes' resignation this morning. 

Ms Forbes was suspended from her role last Wednesday after news broke that Mr Tubridy was paid an extra €345,000 by RTÉ since 2017.

Mr Varadkar said that Ms Forbes should still appear before Oireachtas Committees to "give her side of the story".

Both the Media Committee and Public Accounts Committee will meet this week to discuss the payment controversy.

The Taoiseach added that he has confidence in the RTÉ board, despite the Government undertaking a review of governance at the national broadcaster.

"I'm very disappointed by what we've learned about payments at RTÉ and the way those payments were made.

 In response to that the Government has initiated a thorough review of the governance of RTÉ. We'd rather do it right than do it quickly. And in the meantime, we're suspending our work on reform of the TV licence. 

"But I do want to say this. It is important that we understand what all the facts are. And that's why the Oireachtas committees in particular have an important role to play in making sure that we get answers to questions, that there is full accountability.

"And that will play out of course in the next few weeks."

Ryan Tubridy (right) and former RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Mr Varadkar said the overall contribution of the "vast majority" of RTÉ staff should be acknowledged.

"But I do want to point out that RTÉ is a large organisation and the vast majority of people who work for RTÉ will have no knowledge or involvement in this whatsoever.  And the board will only have known about a graduate recently so we need to bear that in mind. 

"And also the duty to make sure we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater here."

Public service broadcasting is important. RTÉ in very many ways plays a really important role in our society. From Irish language broadcasting, children's programs, drama and sports and good quality news.

"We need to be sure that if things were done that were wrong, and I believe things were done that were wrong, that needs to stop. That needs to change and people need to be held to account."

Asked if Ryan Tubridy should pay back the additional money paid to him beyond what was publicly declared by RTÉ, Mr Varadkar said that that was an issue for the presenter. 

He added that Mr Tubridy should appear before Oireachtas committees if asked.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon said Ms Forbes should still appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Media committee despite her resignation.

Mr Dillon said, “Anyone refusing to attend will be judged harshly by the public.” 

Earlier today, RTÉ confirmed that both members of the RTÉ board and executive would be attending the two committee meetings, but did not detail who would appear.

Mr Dillon – who is the deputy chair of the media committee and a member of PAC - said that Ms Forbes is likely under an “awful lot of stress” following the controversy. However, he said that questions still needed to be answered over the undeclared payments to Mr Tubridy.

“It is really important to get all the facts on the table,” Mr Dillon said.

Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan also said that he was also concerned that Ms Forbes would not attend the upcoming committee meetings, which may lead to some executive board members to deflect questioning.

“It is a real shame that she likely won’t be there. My fear is that on Wednesday, we will get a lot of deflection and ‘that’s a matter for the Director General’ from executive board members,” Mr O’Sullivan said.