RTÉ to receive interim funding of €56m 'subject to certain conditions'
The broadcaster has set out a €40m hole in its finances and has been hit by a major drop in TV licence fees being paid. Picture: Denis Minihane.
RTÉ will receive interim funding of €56m, it has been confirmed.
The broadcaster has set out a €40m hole in its finances and has been hit by a major drop in TV licence fees being paid. Previously, the Government had only committed €16m to plug that gap.
The initial funding of €16m, recommended by the Future of Media Commission and recently confirmed by NewERA, will be provided by way of a supplementary estimate in the coming weeks, a statement from Media Minister Catherine Martin said. The further €40m in funding will be provided to RTÉ in the 2024 Revised Estimates in December.
A structure will be put in place to provide assurance on progress in reforms linked to the release of the €40m funding, with a particular focus on the recommendations of the two Expert Advisory Committees set up by Government in July.
The statement added that RTÉ’s new strategic vision "demonstrates a renewed commitment to public service broadcasting, and addresses key areas such as governance reforms and cost efficiencies".
"This is vital as RTÉ seeks to rebuild the trust and confidence of the Irish public. I am acutely aware, however, of how difficult and challenging this is for the organisation, and particularly for its staff. That is why the DG’s consultation with staff is of paramount importance."
“Allied with measures introduced already, this strategic vision for RTÉ enables us to move forward with a decision to confirm the additional funding of €40m for the organisation, as recommended by NewERA. This is in addition to the €16m in interim funding recommended by the Future of Media Commission, which was also agreed.”
Mr Varadkar said: “The strategic plan is an RTÉ plan, written by RTÉ management and their board, it is not one that requires Government approval.
“It is a plan by RTÉ for RTÉ.
“In terms of the issue of interim funding, Government decided today that there will be interim funding for RTÉ this year and also next year, but it will be subject to certain conditions and achieving certain milestones and implementing certain reforms.”
RTÉ staff are set to pick up the tab for management and governance failures at the broadcaster, unions have warned.
The Trade Union Group (TUG) at RTÉ has expressed concern at a reported reform plan that includes a move to cut 400 jobs by 2028.
The voluntary redundancy scheme, which would cost around €40 million, would reduce staff numbers at RTÉ by around 20%.
Mr Varadkar said his understanding was that redundancies at RTÉ would be phased over a number of years.
"I know the news that staff will be receiving from the director general today and tomorrow will be a shock to a lot of them.
“The actual number of redundancies is being proposed by RTÉ itself, not by government.
“Ultimately it will be up to RTÉ to decide how that is done.
“My understanding is they intend to phase it over a number of years and to avoid any compulsory redundancies.
“But it is a state-owned enterprise, semi-state, and they are autonomous in those kinds of decisions.”
The strategic reform plan, leaked details of which have been reported by RTÉ News, will also see a number of services reduced at the broadcaster, with some digital radio channels set to be axed.
Speaking following a meeting with director general Kevin Bakhurst, Chair of the NUJ Dublin broadcasting branch, Emma O'Kelly said that it is clear that the Government is driving things.
"There is a bit of a dance going on here and the Government is the lead partner and has told RTÉ to do X,Y and Z," Ms O'Kelly told News at One.
"RTÉ has produced this report and on foot of that report about job cuts, privatisation across this whole sector. And because RTÉ has committed itself to this path, the Government has rewarded it by granting these funds."
Union leaders learned that the Government funding had been approved after leaving their meeting with the director general.
Siptu organiser Martin Mannion said that Mr Bakhurst did not offer any detail but outlined a 10-point plan which would see RTÉ being completely restructured.
He said that the proposed changes would be contingent on agreements from unions and staff members.
Part of the restructuring involves a reduction in the number of staff and Ms O'Kelly said that remaining staff members must not suffer as a result of positions being made redundant.
However, she said that she is satisfied that the planned redundancies will be done on a voluntary basis, adding that around 150 people are due to retire over the time period.
Mr Mannion said the last time redundancy packages were offered in RTÉ, 200 people applied for them but 170 of those were not allowed to be released.
He said he believes that there is a core of people who no longer wish to work at the national broadcaster and will take up the offer of voluntary redundancy.
She said there is concern that as programmes are outsourced to the private sector, young creatives may find themselves working in a much more precarious environment.
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