RTÉ pay cap welcomed with all options on the table for reforms to funding model

Media Minister Catherine Martin said 'consecutive governments' had failed to tackle the issue of reforming the licence fee, adding she was determined to be the minister to bring in changes

Asked if she would rule out direct exchequer funding for RTÉ, Catherine Martin said she believed 'everything should be on the table'. Picture: RollingNews.ie

All options will be on the table for reforms to the funding model of RTÉ, Media Minister Catherine Martin has said.

On Tuesday, RTÉ published its strategic reform plan, with the broadcaster announcing a voluntary redundancy scheme would be put in place that particularly targets those who are earning over €100,000.

The plan will also see a pay cap introduced, with no employee able to earn more than director-general Kevin Bakhurst.

Speaking to reporters in Dublin Castle on Wednesday, Ms Martin said  “consecutive governments” have failed to tackle the issue of reforming the licence fee, adding she is determined to be the minister to bring in changes.

“This is the Government that will take this decision and so those discussions are ongoing,” Ms Martin said, adding she hoped a final plan would be decided early next year.

Asked if she would rule out direct exchequer funding for RTÉ, Ms Martin said she believed “everything should be on the table”.

The Government has previously ruled out direct exchequer funding for RTÉ, despite it being a recommendation from the Future of Media Commission last year. Ms Martin said the pay cap of €250,000 was welcome and it was “only right that no one would earn more than the leader of an organisation”.

Catherine Martin. Picture: David Creedon 

Ms Martin welcomed the overall strategy, saying it showed a “renewed commitment to public service broadcasting” and it provided for cost efficiencies and essential governance reforms.

RTÉ’s new strategy will also see 400 redundancies within the broadcaster between now and 2028, with about 150 due to be through natural attrition.

Asked if she endorsed these redundancies, Ms Martin said she was glad to see no compulsory job losses within the plan, adding the Government did not have to sign off on the plan.

“It’s not for me to pick and choose elements of the strategy but I absolutely understand the concerns of staff and their families in relation to this,” Ms Martin said.

“It’s RTÉ’s strategy… It’s up to the DG to allay those concerns and show how it can be done.”