5 things we learned from RTÉ's latest grilling at the Oireachtas

Ger Gilroy podcast (and the lack of women's voices on it), Patrick O'Donovan's €20m budget cut, and 'Fair City' all featured in today's episode

RTÉ deputy director general Adrian Lynch, director general Kevin Bakhurst and head of audio Patricia Monahan leaving Leinster House after appearing before the media committee. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Another day, another RTÉ grilling at an Oireachtas committee. This time, it was the arts and media committee's turn to run the rule over the broadcaster, following a €20m cut in funding by media minister Patrick O'Donovan in last month's budget.

Here are some things that we learned, or didn't learn, as the case may be.

Ger Gilroy appointment raises more questions

Sports broadcaster Ger Gilroy has been brought in to host a new sports podcast for RTÉ. The broadcaster denies it poached him from rivals Newstalk. 

A good portion of the questioning, particularly to head of audio Patricia Monahan, focused on the process involved, with Senator Evanne Ní Chuillin and TDs Peter 'Chap' Cleere, Alan Kelly, and Brian Brennan all unconvinced by the broadcaster's explanation. 

RTÉ contends that staff internally were asked to put forward their interest, but that the hiring committee had assessed that Mr Gilroy was the best person for the job, despite having not applied. He was then asked to apply, and an "appointments process" was then undertaken. 

Reform work remains to be done

Given that the minister's rationale for cutting €20m was the slow pace of reform at RTÉ, it was not surprising that reform and funding made up a decent chunk of the meeting, and the answers were somewhat illuminating.

Director General of RTÉ Kevin Bakhurst said he found out that his organisation's financial package would be cut in the three hours before the budget last month.

Department of Communications secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh rejected that  Patrick O'Donovan had cut RTÉ's funding because it was "an easy target".

Meanwhile, deputy director general Adrian Lynch said that RTÉ will hit its redundancy target, as 67 people left on a voluntary exit programme last year, with a further 30 people leaving by resignation or retirement, who were not replaced. RTÉ has saved around €7.5m in salary costs, he added.

Kevin Bakhurst has lost his voice

Mr Bakhurst is usually RTÉ's best weapon in these scenarios, but he arrived on Wednesday under the weather and could hardly speak, deferring to colleagues. 

He was also noticeably more sanguine than he had been in the days around Mr O'Donovan's budget allocation. 

Gone was the anger and fire, and in was a pragmatic approach, triggered, he said, by a "constructive" meeting between the two.

'Fair City' could be made outside RTÉ

It costs RTÉ €14m to make its flagship show, Fair City, and discussions are underway on whether to move it to an independent production company.

"It's a big decision for RTÉ, and one we don't take lightly. So it's one that we're reflecting on at the moment. And when we have made the decision, we'll bring it to our board," deputy director general Adrian Lynch said.

He added that "things have structurally changed in the advertising market," and that any Irish drama would not be supported by advertising revenue.

It's 2026

Senator Ní Chuillin pointed out to RTÉ heads that there had been no women's voices in the first two weeks of Mr Gilroy's Howler podcast. "It's 2026," she sighed.

• Paul Hosford, Deputy Political Editor

Department of Communications secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh after appearing before the media committee today. He rejected the idea that Patrick O'Donovan had cut RTÉ's funding because it was 'an easy target'. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA