If RTE don't renew Ray Darcy's contract ?

ButtersSuki wrote: »

As I pointed out yesterday on another thread the most astonishing part of this for me was the speed at which this has been put to bed. Normally these cases takes 6-12months and beyond. It appears that all you need to do in RTis say you’ll sue and presto - settlement.

I assume Cox gave the money she got in her settlement to an age-related charity seeing as she took her case because she was so concerned with ageism. :rolleyes:

I'm more surprised that they were contracting someone to read out yesterdays news from the papers to be honest.

Del2005 wrote: »

If they are then revenue should be going after them for more taxes, they can't claim to be self employed contractors, with the tax efficiencies, with full employment protection on top.

I’m certainly no employment law expert but what you are saying seems pretty much spot on and I have read newspaper reports about revenue crackdowns in this area but have no idea what factual basis there is in that.

There are rules governing how freelance/contract employment works, but how closely are they observed? How can somebody like Martina Fitzgerald be considered anything other than a full time RTÉ employee when that is what she is? The same with Ray D’arcy or Pat Kenny at Newstalk. What percentage of their income comes from work outside of their employer? A tiny one I would imagine.

Why should they be allowed to set up as independent companies and be employed in that fashion though? What’s to stop any employee in any job to do the same and enjoy the same loopholes? Is it because the likes of tubberdy and Darcy are big stars and earn big salaries? Maybe somebody with knowledge of employment law can explain it. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with it at all.

gamecube wrote: »

RTE made a good decision bringing Ray D'arcy back cause since he has left Today FM their ratings have taken a nose dive

It has allowed 2fm to overtake them in the Monday-Friday JNLR listenership figures

I know a lot of people here have no love for the guy but his listenership figures on Today FM were about 70,000 higher than what Dermot & Dave have now in the same time slot.

So RTÉ took out Ray D’Arcy to boost 2fm ratings, but at the same time Saturday Night takes a nose dive on TV while he makes no impact on Radio 1???

Elmo wrote: »

So RTÉ took out Ray D’Arcy to boost 2fm ratings, but at the same time Saturday Night takes a nose dive on TV while he makes no impact on Radio 1???

His ratings are 25,000 more than what Mooney had in the same time slot on Radio 1.

Giving him the Saturday night slot was the only way to bring him back to RTE.

It cannot be a coincidence that Today FM ratings started to downturn after he left & 2fm ratings went only upwards?

NIMAN wrote: »

I think a lot of these 'big stars' do it, probably not that many in Ireland but I remember reading that the UK is fond of it.

Nothing illegal in it at all of course. All well within their rights to do it that way, as companies probably can find ways of avoiding paying taxes more than a simple employee. They may well be able to right off more against expenses.

Joe Duffy afaik is also contracted by RTia his own company, CladdaghGreen Ltd:

https://www.vision-net.ie/Company-Info/Claddaghgreen-Limited-185841

https://www.independent.ie/business/media/joe-duffy-dials-up-458000-in-accumulated-profits-at-his-media-firm-35520174.html

I believe there are EU regulations concerning the area of contract work but how they work in practice I’ve no idea. It might not be in any way illegal the way things work, but is it ethical? That’s the question I’d be asking.

It obviously suits both employer (doesn’t have to worry about benefits) and employee (gains from tax loopholes), but then I’d wonder why don’t more companies set up this way? Why don’t google/amazon etc make all their employees contractors? I don’t see what would be stopping them if RTÉ can do it. Or is it something more exclusive to the entertainment industry and others like it?

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Are they entitled to a pension plan and other such benefits though? I wouldn’t have thought so. Those contract arrangements are a bit of a minefield for employers it seems to me. Somebody who has spent nearly 20 years working for the same company can’t really be validly described as a freelance/contractor. How would that have gone down before an employment tribunal?

As self employed people or proprietary directors of limited companies, they can put a load of their very generous money into pension plans, tax free!

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

I don't believe or trust the figures. Seems the sponsors don't either.

Quite common around these parts. In which circumstance I always ask for the real figures, if you have them.

Does RTE have sponsored programmes?

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I believe there are EU regulations concerning the area of contract work but how they work in practice I’ve no idea. It might not be in any way illegal the way things work, but is it ethical? That’s the question I’d be asking.

It obviously suits both employer (doesn’t have to worry about benefits) and employee (gains from tax loopholes), but then I’d wonder why don’t more companies set up this way? Why don’t google/amazon etc make all their employees contractors? I don’t see what would be stopping them if RTÉ can do it. Or is it something more exclusive to the entertainment industry and others like it?

These are the Revenue criteria but they're not enforced, so they're missing out on a good chunk of employers PRSI and lost tax from increased pension contributions as many IT and pharma companies especially do exactly what you suggest and engage large numbers of "contractors" that are effectively employees.

If Ray D'Arcy did leave RTE I think Today FM would have him back again in a heartbeat.

Re: Ray D'Arcy V Derek Money. Derek had lost listerners but from what I can gather he ranged from 198,000 to 221,000, Darcy Brought this back to 221,000 but I don't see how he's worth the wage he was given.