RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

Quandary

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223417#Comment_121223417

Id say its a case of -

Look - you resign and we'll give you this eyewatering wedge of cash as long as we can blame it all on you. Then you just claim your mental health and family are suffering due to the stress and you wont ever have to answer any questions.

Easy money!

MrMusician18

Of all of them, I actually have a bit of sympathy for Richard Collins because to be fair: he uncovered the questionable spending in the barter account and he was handed a **** sandwich by O'Keefe. O'Keefe then tried to publicly throw him under the bus at the PAC. And he did turn up at all previous committee occasions that he was requested to.

If I were him I'd have left them long ago and pulled out the sick note like the rest of them.

Rubberchikken

While I was thinking Collins..'another one bites the dust', I agree he did seem to try to show some scruples unlike Forbes et al.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223080#Comment_121223080

The committee can compel witnesses to attend as it stands. The referendum rejected the Oireachtas ability to set up investigative enquiries that would've included the ability to compel witnesses.

The people were completely correct in rejecting this amendment as they would have ended up as kangaroo courts given the behaviour we see at committees

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223261#Comment_121223261

If there's anyone out there who thinks the barter account fiasco detected by auditors in March this year is not directly related to Tubridy's sudden desire to quit the handiest and most lucrative job in Irish media, I want to tell them I have a lorry load of magic beans going for sale at a great price!

Tubs had no ideas on achieving anything. Except ballooning his own bank balance.

Floppybits

I didn't think Collins covered himself in glory when at the committee's. He came across as not being on top of his brief and being very weak for someone in that position also some of his answers to questions came across as him not know what he was doing. In saying that I do feel some sympathy for him as he was handed this by O'Keefe as she waltzed out the door with her nice lumpsum tucked under her arm.

I still think he had to go though but definitely not the worst person in this debacle, he seems to have been the unfortunate person of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I also wonder was he selected for the role because he came across in the committees as a meek kind of person and this was what Forbes and her little cabal were looking for, someone who wouldn't rock the boat and do as they were told.

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224020#Comment_121224020

Yep, I remember the talk at the time back in July was that his CV prior to RTE didn't really fit with being given a CFO role of a company that size. I'm no sharp suited mover and shaker myself but Collins just never seemed to belong in that environment. There was a definite bang of a guy who almost blagged his way into the job.

My own hunch on it was exactly that. Someone like Forbes wouldn't want a high flying egotist in that role who would question every receipt for a box of ballpoint pens. She wanted a soft touch who could rubberstamp all the many dodges that were going on under her watch. Would make sense.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224078#Comment_121224078

Was he not CFO with Dunnes Stores before? One would imagine Dunnes is a much tougher environment, larger turnover, but probably better renumerated than RTE to be honest.

It wouldn't be unheard of for someone to move across to public or semi state for an easier life

toggle toes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223474#Comment_121223474

Totally agree. All these investigations and ex board members still refusing to come before the Oireachtas committe. It's beyond believable at this stage that no one is going to be held accountable for tihis debacle. I think in any other country some of these people would be held accountable and would have been removed from their positions without the golden handshake. This scandle could come back and haunt the government in next year's elections if they fork out the 56 million of taxpayers money to RTE without any accountability what so ever.

RoTelly

I don't think Collins helped himself in the Oireachtas, Breda O'Keefee effectively, even after her own admission, threw him under the bus.

But I doubt Collins will make a statement about how he can't handle the public interrogation and talkabout his mental health.

So is Jim Jenning next in line to go?

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224433#Comment_121224433

Collins didn't help himself at all at the committee meetings with is bumbling answers and the answer saying he didn't know what his salary was just made him look at least incompetent and at worst trying to hide something. I will give him some kudos for going to the committee meetings and taking his hammering and not pulling the mental health get out of jail free card. O'Keefe is the one with the questions to answer and she should be compelled to come before the committee's to answer the questions, she and Forbes are up to their necks in this.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223985#Comment_121223985

This is hindsight masquerading as insight.

If quitting the LLS was Tubridy’s response to the prospect of a report on the barter accounts, or even on the the separate and more pertinent issue of the Renault payments, it was a daft move (and not merely with the benefit of hindsight).

I doubt anyone in RTÉ realised that the Renault payments and the barter accounts were going to blow up into an existential threat. Even if Tubridy anticipated that he was going to be damaged by the Renault scandal (and he will go to his grave believing he is innocent😮), what did he gain by suddenly announcing that he would quit the LLS? And he obviously assumed that he would continue with his morning radio gig (for as close as possible to half a million a year, with or without a sponsor).

Much more likely I think is that he saw the writing on the wall i.e. his LLS days were numbered with the arrival of Bakhurst and Alan Tyler. He decided to take control of the agenda and turned the remaining LLS into an advertisement for himself.

hotmail.com

It did take a long time for Collins to resign. Why wasn't he sacked ages ago?

Adrian Lynch is still working on the board which continues to baffle me.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225205#Comment_121225205

Adrian was given a promotion to Deputy DG, he's no longer head of Marketing, Channels and Audiences. It's strange that it is felt he is a safe pair of hands for RTÉ.

The whole idea of replacing Director of TV with Director of Marketing, Channels and Audiences and the Director of Radio with Director of Content was to reduce the "silos" in RTÉ Radio and TV, but in effect Director of Market, Channels and Audiences is still TV and perhaps Adrian Lynch is lucky that RTÉ were unable to reduce these silos. He's seems to have had no part in contracts, even though he's the main person of Marketing, Channels and Audiences. You'd wonder what his role exactly is.

Eimear Cusask should also have been removed. Not in light of this scandal, though you could argue that as Director of HR she should know the cost of staff and contractors. On several occasions she and her department were supposed to tied up the number of Grades in RTÉ, her time their has been spend obfuscating the problems with employment in RTÉ rather then doing anything to fix the issues. Really the DG should be carrying out a review of the outcomes of HR in RTÉ since she arrive.

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225250#Comment_121225250

I don't know what the hold up with the grades is, well except it is RTE we are talking about. There are numerous systems for assigning grades to posts, and then a salary to a grade. Then an employee's current salary to a scale point on the grade. The final stage is where it gets interesting!

Then we have the allowances, interests and gift register.

Lollipop95

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-faces-tv-licence-fee-shortfall-of-more-than-61m-over-two-years-as-government-to-give-16m-interim-funding/a1411397291.html

Wonder will this effect any of the presenters on 2FM?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225920#Comment_121225920

I found the figures confusing ... licence fee shortfall of 20 million but the bailout is 40 million?

Is it to account for a projected 40 million shortfall in 2024?

And some cost cuttings to close the gap?

Lollipop95

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225958#Comment_121225958

I'm not too sure about those figures either. I do wonder what prompted this because as of August, Kevin Bakhurst was adamant there would be no redundancies:

https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0825/1401705-rte-bakhurst-add/#:~:text=RT%C3%89%20DG%20'absolutely%20not%20considering%20compulsory%20redundancies%20at%20the%20moment'&text=The%20Director%20General%20of%20RT%C3%89,troubled%20broadcaster%20for%20the%20moment.

It's a big turnaround. Was he not aware of the figures at the time I wonder?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225958#Comment_121225958

Part of that is the "Capital Expenditure" hole. Any accountants around want to explain Depreciation and Capital Expenditure. I get buying capital and the need for maintenance but I think most of the capital expenditure is dump into the Depreciation account and from there used for Current Expenditure.

My understanding was 16m for for 2023 from capital expenditure (which gives them some leeway on the 20m in lost TV licenses) under the guise of Capital Expenditure. While the Minister is holding out for a new RTÉ strategy (because Strategy 2024 has worked out so well) before deciding on 2024's bailout.

Atlantic Dawn

Privatise 2FM...who in their right mind would put good money towards that cesspit?

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/laid-bare-massive-95m-black-hole-in-rte-finances-as-chief-financial-officer-to-quit/a628250364.html

NIMAN

They reckon the Tubs scandal, and people refusing to pay their licence, will cost rte €61m over this year and next.

And yet they are still ar$ing around and refusing to release all the info, tell us what payoffs folk are getting, come clean. They are a joke.

Rubberchikken

They want and will get millions to bail them out and still are as unforthcoming as stone when it comes to answering all the questions put to them.

They will hide behind every pitiful excuse they can come up with.

I don't care what others think of K Bakhurst. My take on him is he is the totally wrong man for the job. His past connections with rte and it's staff is colouring any judgement imo.

He also doesn't seem to have as strong a handle on the absolute cesspit of weasels that make up a large part of that organisation.

And the bloody government will hold onto it rather than admit that rte is a shambles.

TinyMuffin

Wonder what the cfos exit package is like?

No point in asking the cfo ,as he probably wouldn’t know.

Lime Tree Farm

The term Zombie is topical at the moment. A Zombie company.

https://fortunez.com/zombie-company/

arctictree

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226840#Comment_121226840

Why would you get an exit package if you resign?

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226933#Comment_121226933

I was about to ask the same question.

Cluedo Monopoly

Dee Forbes is still playing the sicknote card. How can we take any of these clowns seriously?

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226957#Comment_121226957

It should be written into every single one of the contracts for Public and civil service workers especially those in senior roles that they need to attend these committee meetings when asked to attend for up 3 years after they have left the position and there should be no wiggle room. If they pull the sick card like Kerins did in the past and what Forbes is doing now then that 3 years gets extended until they do attend. It is way too easy for senior management in the Civil and Public sectors to make a complete mess and then just walk away giving the 2 fingers to the public. If they want the big paychecks then they are going to have to take the responsibility and the Accountability that comes with it.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223280#Comment_121223280

But he didn’t leave!

He dropped a bombshell on his boss by announcing that he would not host the LLS in future. He clearly intended to remain in RTÉ and expected to keep his morning radio show (and here’s a real scandal) on the same salary!

So , does anyone know why he dropped the LLS?

saabsaab

It seems that compulsory redundancies and a move from Montrose is not being considered. What is RTE going to change to change I wonder?