RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

However broadcast TV itself is optional which, of course, is the big worry for RTE. Hence the push to make the fee mandatory regardless of the quality of RTE's output.

There's huge power in numbers. Withholding the licence fee is the only tool available to the public here. The politicians don't really give two fcuks, they're all on an even bigger gravy train than RTE.

Ireland is a small place. Dublin is smaller. And the Dublin media bubble is the smallest clique of all. Bakhurst has zero intention of doing anything other than shuffling papers, moving deckchairs around and making the right noises. He certainly isnt going to make enemies or inconvenience Irish national treasures like Ryan Tubridy, who fully expects he'll be "open for business" in a matter of weeks.

If people allow this to happen and tacitly agree to it by sending these clowns €160, it's simply going to be a case of business as usual for RTE. They need the kick in the nuts that is a mammoth loss of funding and the political pressure that that should bring.

Ryan Tuberdy wont be back on the air with RTE. KB has a monumental task ahead of him with falling revenues because of RT. Why would he spend the next few years bitterly defending RT to the public when he's the catalyst . Sap doesn't even have a contract so why give him one. Hes toast

Negotiations between Ryan Tubridy and RTÉ's director general Kevin Bakhurst on his future with the broadcaster are not likely to conclude until later this month at the earliest.

Mr Tubridy and Mr Bakhurst held a meeting in late July but have not been in direct contact since then. It is understood that both have taken some holidays since then.

Glad that Tubs was able to take a holiday. Don't know how there's even a decision to be made here. Tubridy has cost RTE millions in the past few weeks and will cost them even more if he comes back. Even if they move to a new funding model, a huge proportion of the population would lose all faith in RTE if he returns to the airwaves. So many people are disgusted by his lies and sense of entitlement and will boycott RTE if he returns.

A new tax will be in place very soon direct from your paypacket to cover the cost along with the announcement of the end of the licence fee. At that point, RTE won't care what anyone thinks and the party can continue.

They also draw quite a lot of income from advertising and programme sponsorship. As Butters said, it's hard to see any that any organisation would want to be associated with Tubridy. Bringing him back would still have a hugely negative commercial impact on RTE. I don’t know anybody who wants him back. Even if he returns to his old radio show, it would be impossible to take him seriously when he reads through the day's news or comments on current affairs. He has no moral credibility anymore.

Who in RTÉ advised Kevin Bakhurst to take a holiday? Did no one in his leadership team not turn around and say we have a **** load of work to do that really cannot wait.

This would be like if his predecessor on her first day in the job re-organized her office!

There are two issues before the paying public Re this RTE /RT debacle and they are RT returning or not and the way RTE is being/has been run / managed with its barter a/c , what money was spent on , etc.

I wonder if RT , unilaterally ,handed in his notice to quit or if RTE paid. Him a reasonable sum to quit. Would the licence fee payers be significantly less reluctant to withold the annual fee. ?

I should add that RTE would also need to indicate - AND FAST - how it plans to CLEAN UP IT’S ACT before fee payers would oblige. Otherwise it is in big trouble , financially if it does not and RT stays