RTÉ pay scandal
Deputy Tóibín attacked high RTÉ salaries and said the issue was damaging public goodwill toward the broadcaster. The Minister said RTÉ was independent but noted its restructuring plan includes pay cuts and ongoing union discussions.
Yesterday, I raised the issue that the average beef farmer is earning €8,000 per year. Today I want to raise the fact that salaries in RTÉ are as high as €0.5 million per year.
One RTÉ presenter earns 61 times the average wage of a beef farmer, and €1,500 per broadcast hour. That presenter earns more weekly than the average beef farmer earns in a year. The fact that this is happening is an absolute scandal, but the fact that it is happening at a time when RTÉ is in bits financially is complete madness. Any goodwill in the community regarding saving or even growing RTÉ in the future is being damaged by these types of salaries. Members of the National Union of Journalists stated the 15% cut is insufficient and they have called for a cap of €208,000 per year for top presenters. Will the Tánaiste support the cap and make it happen?
Comment on this
This is a matter for RTÉ in the first instance, given that it is an independent body with its own board, overseen by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland as its regulator. The House has previously expressed its belief that some of the pay is excessive. That was included in RTÉ's recent plan, which outlined a 15% cut. RTÉ is in discussions with its unions on the restructuring plan and continues to discuss how the plan will be implemented.