Dee Forbes banging the RTE TV licence drum again 60m uncollected fee *poll not working - pl ignore*

Janey mackers, The Toyman’s primary school prose output reached a new low today, a whole article composed entirely of his musings regarding the presence of dogs in pubs and cafes. Good thing there’s nothing happening politically in Ireland or the rest of the world for the most trusted man in Ireland to offer us his learned opinions on, political anorak that he is. 🙄

Fionnán Sheehan (and others) writes extensively in Indo online about the week’s events for RTÉ. Poor Dee Forbes in her illness-driven absence continues to shoulder the blame for almost all of the ails of the state broadcaster, while many of those who sat beside her on the executive still retain their positions on the new executive team or have switched roles on it. As The Toyman is fond of saying, that’s just “bonkers”.

Shane Ross has an opinion piece (unrelated to his book) whereby he opines that it very much suits RTÉ that Forbes’ illness continues. I can’t read the article as it’s behind a paywall that I have no intention of paying for but one would assume it would suggest she’s a handy scapegoat and perhaps suggests her version of the dark tales might be somewhat different from the current narrative.

Seeing as how this story has developed over the last 3 years and continues to and the reputational damage she has incurred. Were I advising her, I would suggest a (carefully orchestrated) interview with a paper or a tv station (rather than an Oireachtas Committee appearance). Perhaps however Ms. Forbes simply does not give a flying f word as to what people think of her, so to speak.

I continue to wish her well in her recovery.

The answer to the mystery of how Donncha O’Callaghan get gigs on RTÉ is to be found when one looks at who his agent is, The Godfather himself (as his fans* on here refer to him as), Mr. Noel Kelly.

As you mentioned the triumvirate of talent from a former 2FM breakfast show (that is Doireann, Donncha, and Carl), which indeed was quite an accomplishment for Mr. Kelly in itself getting 3 of his incredible array of stars to host a breakfast show where the established format for such a show is almost universally a pairing. No doubt when this innovative presentation was suggested to RTÉ they negotiated hard and agreed to it providing the existing 2 presenter cost base structure didn't increase by at least 50% and included of course the “hilarious” off hidden camera show featuring the same 3 star hosts? I think we know the answer to that.

I wonder did Mr. Kelly receive consultancy fees for suggesting (and we can only assume he did as it would be rather bizarre if RTÉ suggested it and approached him) this innovative format change?

And in light of recent revelations on monies being challenged through outside production houses to pay on air talent, who paid these stars for their tv work? Was in RTÉ or the production company?

* I thought the bizarreness of Ireland’s infatuation with celebrity culture peaked with the “fame” of “celebrity solicitor” Gerald Kean, but no, this is a country where a talent agent has fans. 🤷‍♂️

There are various ways to help elevate depression. I believe they call this retail therapy. I am sure her RTÉ pension more than covers this unfortunately the Health Insurance companies have yet to bring in a Retail Therapy policy, not even an add on to your existing policy!

I too continue to wish her and Jimbo Jennings in their recovery, clearly they are both recuperating and on the mend.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/callans-entertainment-company-upped-directors-pay-to-over-50000-new-accounts-reveal/a/152694300.html

RTÉ star Oliver Callan’s entertainment firm gave one of its directors a pay boost, new accounts have revealed.

Catchy Title Limited, owned by the Co Monaghan-born satirist, increased how
much one of its directors was paid to €52,056 in 2024, according to its
latest accounts for the same year. The figure was up from €36,000 in 2023.

Callan and his sister Áine are the directors of Catchy Title. It is not clear
from the accounts who received the director’s remuneration.

Catchy Title recorded a profit of €92,173 during 2024, according to a previous report in the Irish Independent. This was more than double the previous year.

I would suspect Ogle and a lot of RTÉ would really like for this to just all go away. I’d imagine many of those with an entitled mindset within the organisation are more than a little peeved this is interfering with their cosy cartel. Ogle would have represented a lot of these people or have alignment with their views I suspect given his trade union background. The unions are quite strong in RTÉ I believe.

I recall a tale of an RTÉ staffer being furious with The Toyman at the time of The Ryan Tubridy Pay Scandal - not for what The Toyman was caught doing of course, but the damage the new at the time scrutiny was going to have on the earning potential, perks, junkets and jollies culture in RTÉ going forward. You couldn’t make it up.

I’m sure Matt discussed the agent at the centre of this and The Toyman in depth too……..

As for your suspicion there might be more to come, I doubt you’re alone in that. I’d be more shocked if there’s not than if there is.

Hard to say that there is anything remotely defamatory in the book. The first chapter is about Tubridy but its nothing that defamatory, its one issue might be that he Tubs has an ego and was so disappointed at failing to win the leadership of the FF party cumman in UCD he left. Clearly Ross like many sets Tubs up as an enigma of his true self but he never really pushes beyond that. Does Tubs find the idea that he has an ego a public image issue?

Is it because we have St. Gabriel, Prof. Finucane and Ryan Tubridy?

That is a push, and should be thrown out as Vexatious.

“We
would request your immediate confirmation that you will cease and
desist from any association of our client’s image on the front cover of
this book, in circumstances where, as previously stated, such image is
associated with terminology [sinner/scandal?] that can only be construed as grossly
defamatory of our client and also in circumstances where our client is
the only living person imaged on the front cover of the book,” a letter
at the start of this month says.

“In
short, you have no entitlement to associate our client’s image with the
terminology used in the title/subtitle for the sake of generating
potential publicity and sales.”

What was the commentary in the SR's book regarding Dee Fordes and her actions since the fall out.

I'd imagine he had to approach any recorded illnesses and the like as honest to god fact?

Still haven’t read the book but I assume you’re referring to Jim Jennings. Jim has been seen out and about a fair bit despite his illness, including at the post-retirement drinks do for one Joe Duffy (who is managed by Noel Kelly) at The Duke public house, and at which The Toyman himself also appeared.

One might think it would be prudent not to be seen socialising with characters central to a scandal when you’re ill, but not Jim apparently. Those RTÉ stars and Execs don’t seem to take advice it seems.

more delicious headlines today:

Some of the standout quotes for me:

“Presenters may also require these services on occasion,” the spokesperson added.

“This amounts to an average monthly spend on taxis of €26,570 last year“

“Vehicles must be of Mercedes S class or BMW 7 Series or equivalent standard”

Lots of questions as usual….why are presenters allowed to use this service when they’re already being paid outrageously extravagantly for their time?

Define “on occasion”?

Can we see the breakdown? I’ve more than once heard one particular 2fm presenter talk about his “taxi” into work when he has a brand ambassadorial deal with a car brand. Are RTÉ paying for these every time he takes the “taxi”? No prizes for guessing who his agent is.

I guess when you’re the same state broadcaster who picks up a c. €900 fare to Drogheda and back for one of The Toyman’s Renault gigs for Niamh from NKM an average spend of €208 per trip over 5 years probably seems like good value.

The good news however is that RTÉ have cut back enormously on these fees and “only” spent €85,000 on “taxis” in the first 4 months of this year. So the average is going down….

🙄

True, the damage done to The Toyman and his agent after their disastrous and ill-advised appearance will be life long.

Your being so unfair to Geraldine O'Leary. Poor Geraldine, so badly treated at the Oireachtas committee, she was unfortunate that she missed her chance to call in sick, D4bes and Jimbo getting in there first.