RTÉ director general has failed to make payout debacle exit stage left

Confusion remains about a package offered by RTÉ to its former director of strategy Rory Coveney

Questions have emerged around what RTÉ’s director general Kevin Bakhurst initially said about the package for Rory Coveney, what we know now following fresh revelations, and what needs to happen next. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

After an Oireachtas committee grilling, a meeting with the media minister, and multiple interviews, confusion remains about an exit package offered by RTÉ to its former director of strategy Rory Coveney.

Questions have emerged around what RTÉ’s director general Kevin Bakhurst initially said about the package for Mr Coveney, what we know now following fresh revelations, and what needs to happen next.

What Kevin Bakhurst has said about an exit payment for Rory Coveney

On his first official day as director general on July 10, 2023, Mr Bakhurst held a lengthy press conference outside the front door of RTÉ in Donnybrook.

The evening before, Mr Coveney, who oversaw the failed Toy Show the Musical, announced through a statement that he tendered his resignation to Mr Bakhurst as director of strategy.

When asked by the media if Mr Coveney received any payment, redundancy, or ex gratia payment, Mr Bakhurst replied: “Not ex gratia. I don’t think it’s fair to talk about individual arrangements.”

When pressed again if Mr Coveney got a payment going out the door, Mr Bakhurst said: “No he didn’t get a payment going out the door but he is entitled, as other people are, to statutory level payments when they leave an organisation."

Last week at an Oireachtas media committee, Mr Bakhurst revealed for the first time that Mr Coveney did get an exit payment from RTÉ.

In a statement at the weekend following political pressure, Mr Bakhurst said he and Mr Coveney “agreed that it was best that he stand down from his role” at the time.

He said Mr Coveney’s role became “redundant, an exit payment was offered by RTÉ and accepted by Rory".

In a radio interview on RTÉ’s Drivetime on Monday, Mr Bakhurst was asked about his comments in July in which he said Mr Coveney did not receive a payment “going out the door".

He was asked if it was a mistake not to disclose at the time during a lengthy press conference that Mr Coveney received the payment.

He said: “It would be a mistake if that was what had happened.

“And during that [press conference] I was asked whether Rory was going to receive payment when he left and I said yes he was, so we did disclose it at the time and people seem to have forgotten about that.”

However, presenter Sarah McInerney put it to Mr Bakhurst that he was asked at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last October if Mr Coveney received an exit package and he said at the time he could not talk about individuals and asked was that because he had mentioned it a couple of months previously.

Mr Bakhurst said in response to her on air: “Well no I said at the time he received payment, I said I can’t talk in detail about individuals and that remains the legal advice around talking about any individuals.”

When put to him on air that the transcript from his engagement with the media on July 10 reads that he said Mr Coveney “didn't get a payment going out the door but he is entitled, as other people are, to statutory level payments when they leave an organisation", Mr Bakhurst said in response: “I said statutory at the time, I think what I meant is, you know the amount that is appropriate for the length of time he was here. Statutory is probably a technical term but, you know, he got the money, got less than the amount he would be entitled to if he went to the WRC.”

On Monday evening, an RTÉ spokesperson, when contacted by the Irish Examiner, said: "What Kevin Bakhurst was referring to on Monday 10th July, as referenced in this evening's interview on Drivetime, was that in terms of an exit payment in the circumstances (where he [Mr Coveney] was not required to resign and there was no basis for him to be dismissed), a severance payment was appropriate."

What next?

Pressure will likely continue on Mr Bakhurst to fully disclose all details of exit packages given to RTÉ executives. Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon who sits on the Oireachtas media committee has called for the details of all exit packages of all executives, from 2016 to last June, to be published by RTÉ too.

As confusion continues, Cabinet ministers also want complete transparency from Mr Bakhurst. The director general has said he expects to have new legal advice "in the next couple of days" regarding the publication of details on the exit packages.