RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst is expected to announce that up to 400 jobs could be cut at the national broadcaster as he unveils his new “strategic vision” to staff today.
It comes following turmoil over RTÉ’s finances over the last six months following revelations about former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy’s pay
RTÉ’s annual report for 2022 stated that there were 1,868 employees.. It is anticipated that Mr Bakhurst’s plan will announce that staff numbers will be reduced by 20 per cent across the organisation.
Even top shows like Fair City could face the axe as the struggling broadcaster faces tough decisions to cut costs.
Follow developments here LIVE as they happen on another day of unwanted drama at the troubled broadcaster.
Key Events
'This cannot be a hollowing out of RTÉ' - Statement by Senator Marie Sherlock
Labour media, arts and workers’ rights spokesperson Senator Marie Sherlock has urged Government intervention to prevent the hollowing out of RTÉ.
Senator Sherlock said: “What has been published today should send alarm bells ringing in Government Buildings. Is this Government about to stand over the utter hollowing out of RTÉ?
“The cuts announced are chilling. What we need to understand now is how RTÉ will be able to continue with its mandate to provide public service broadcasting on a shoestring.
“The harsh reality is what’s been announced today is taking place against a backdrop of an acute funding crisis that threatens the very existence of public service media in Ireland, as acknowledged by the Director General today.
“Yet, there’s more questions than answers now in regards to the strategy management appears to be taking. It is staff of RTÉ, workers like producers, reporters, camera people, who are the linchpin of the organisation. Reducing RTÉ’s workforce by one-fifth is going to pose extraordinary operational challenges for the broadcaster.
“A pay cap for top earners has rightly been announced, but where was this before now? RTÉ has been in an existential crisis in terms of funding for some time now.
“There are serious question marks over how RTÉ will operate into the future if it culls one-fifth of the organisation. We note the ongoing commitment to RTÉ sport, the commitment to increase original Irish drama, and to expand the number of hours of Irish programmes, so it’s not clear just how a smaller budget for the broadcaster will be allocated.
“RTÉ plays a great role in supporting the independent sector in Ireland, however, this proposal goes much further than supporting. RTÉ are planning to outsource to the independent sector, which should not be the case.
“There’s an enormous lack of clarity on the future of RTÉ. TV licence payers have a right to know how the national broadcaster will be funded, what will be prioritised and how it plans to save itself from extinction.
“Government cannot be a passive bystander. Labour has called for an urgent debate on the future funding of RTÉ this week. This is a crucial moment in RTÉ’s history.”
Statement by Siún Ní Raghallaigh, Chair, Board of RTÉ
On behalf of the Board of RTÉ, I welcome the publication by the Director General today of A New Direction for RTÉ.
We also welcome the confirmation that interim funding of €56 million has now been approved by Government, subject to conditions.
Wide ranging reforms are embedded in the outline strategic vision, and I believe it will chart the way for a stable and secure future for RTÉ, and for public service media as a whole. It is an important first step in establishing an organisation that is equipped to deliver on the transformation set out, and that is transparent, accountable and governed with the highest standards – all of which is key to rebuilding public trust.
However, the future of public service media can only be safeguarded and maintained with support from Government. We look forward to detailed engagement with Government in the days and weeks ahead.
We are very conscious of the concerns of RTÉ staff as we embark upon this important process of change and reform. The Board of RTÉ fully supports the work and commitment of the Director General and his leadership team and we will continue to work closely with them as we navigate the significant challenges ahead.
Cost saving cuts
A RTÉ statement says: "To help close this public funding gap, and to address these immediate and significant financial challenges, RTÉ will implement a minimum of €10m cuts in expenditure planned for 2024."
These cuts will include:
- Cuts to content, to be confirmed in the coming weeks
- An initial and limited Voluntary Exit Programme, to deliver a headcount reduction of 40. This will be funded by the 2017 land sale proceeds
- Ongoing freeze on recruitment
- Ongoing pause on discretionary spend
- Postponement of a range of capital and strategic projects.
The plan also confirms that there will be a "more streamlined RTÉ"
"We will be a more streamlined, modern and simplified organisation, with fewer employees (with a net headcount reduction of up to 20% or 400 people), reduced overheads and updated technology," the plan says.
Salary caps to be introduced at RTE
Director General Kevin Bakhurst has confirmed that a salary cap will be implemented.
No salary will exceed that of the Director-General, which is €250,000.
There will also be a review of and reduction of allowances, as well as an evaluation of options for the future use of the Donnybrook campus, including reducing the size of the footprint needed for RTÉ’s production and broadcast facilities.
Commitments in plan
The plan from Kevin Bakhurst contains a number of commitments
This includes:
- A 50% increase in commissioning spend by 2028, as part of a hybrid-production model, which will see increased investment in independent production to access and support creativity across Ireland.
- A new ambition to better reflect Ireland by investing in production centres outside Dublin, including a planned Cork content hub, with renewed commitments to Limerick and Galway. In addition, the plan details a pathway toward digital transformation and personalisation, with increased investment in digital products and skills.
- A smaller RTÉ through investment in technology, skills and people, with a 20% net headcount reduction over the period of the 2024-2028 strategy, supported by a voluntary exit scheme.
- A range of financial and governance reforms, with the launch of new registers and reporting functions, including
i. a Register of Commercial Interests
ii. a Register of Commercial Activities
iii. Published Expenses
iv. Salaries of Leadership Team
v. Anonymised Top 100 Salaries
RTE publishes strategic plan called "A New Direction"
RTÉ has published its new plan
It contains ten areas of reform
1. A New Vision for Public Service
2. A New Approach on Value for Money
3. A New Take on Nationwide Production
4. A New Organisation
5. A New Strategy for Sectoral Support
6. New Digital Products
7. New Digital Experiences
8. New Protections for Free-to-Air Access
9. A New Approach on Financial Management
10. A New Framework for Better Governance
Calls for Dáil discussion on RTÉ news
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster and Labour leader Ivana Bacik have asked Higher Education Minister Simon Harris (who is taking Leaders Questions while Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is travelling to Denmark for meetings) have asked for a debate on news coming out of RTÉ.
Ms Bacik says that it was not fair on workers to find out that 400 jobs were at risk through "media leaks".
Minister Harris says that he does not believe the Government will have an issue facilitating this and it can be looked at by the Business Committee for next week.
Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe confirms interim for RTÉ of €56m over two years
This will be €16m this year and €40m next year. It will be subject to reforms
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says that he knows news of redundancies to be delivered by Kevin Bakhurst will comes as a "shock" to staff
He says that he understands they will be phased in rather than coming all at one. He adds that the number of jobs going is up to RTÉ and is nothing to do with Government.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says that it is "very disappointing" that staff working in RTÉ didn't find out about redundancies at the broadcaster directly. He said that Government would often be made aware of redundancies before they're announced and that information is usually kept private until staff are informed.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirms that Cabinet agreed this morning to sign off on interim funding for RTÉ for this year and next year
Details will be announced by Media Minister Catherine Martin later today.
Union chief gives full backing to the workers at RTE
Owen Reidy stated firmly that there should be no compulsory redundancies after reports emerged that 400 job losses at RTE are on the cards.
The ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) General Secretary said that the top committee of union officials will meet tomorrow to discuss the latest developments.
Mr Reidy was speaking from the SIPTU conference in Galway’s Galmont Hotel where he was a guest speaker.
Mr Reidy said: “We have heard of the threat to potentially 400 jobs.
“I just want to say, the full Congress will meet as an executive tomorrow.
“We stand fully behind the RTE Group of Unions.
“There should be no changes without an agreement and there definitely should be no compulsory redundancies at RTE.”
Labour’s media spokeswoman Marie Sherlock said that today was meant to be a “good day” for RTÉ - but isn't.
Marie Sherlock said today could have been a chance to repair 'self inflicted wounds'
Instead, she says, there is devastating news that there may be 400 redundancies as she questions RTE’s commitment to sport and drama as she questions if this is the “hollowing out” of RTÉ as a public service broadcaster.
Catherine Murphy says that the fear has always been that the “axe would fall in the wrong place”
Asked if she believed that the redundancies should be targeted at higher earners and those earning above €100K, she said the fear is it would be lower ranked staff who will be hit.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy blasts leaks
Catherine Murphy says that for an “organisation that's in the business of communication, it's quite extraordinary” how news of 400 redundancies and Kevin Bakhurst’s plan was not communicated to staff, who had to learn the news through media leaks.
“Essentially, are we talking about RTÉ acting as clearinghouse for private providers who will then employ people on that same profile?
“That would be awfully, awfully wrong.”“I think if there isn't a vision for the for what public service broadcasting is intended to be, it would be very difficult to convince the public in terms of a new type of funding.”
Leaking of RTÉ strategy branded “further blow to trust of staff”
Séamus Dooley, Irish Secretary, NUJ, said: "Publication of RTÉ’s strategy document by way of media leaks is a further blow to the trust of staff in an organisation where morale is at an all-time low.
"The National Union of Journalists supports the call by the RTÉ Trade Union Group for immediate circulation of the strategy document. I acknowledge that the Director General wants to put his proposals in context but that ship has now sailed and the only way to allay the fears of staff is immediate release of the document.
"Trade unions representatives are scheduled to meet the Director General at noon ahead of the staff briefing. Both events are in danger of being an empty charade. We had sought earlier sight of the document but this request was declined for reasons of condfidentiality."
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