RTÉ board to blame management at broadcaster for ‘withholding information’ about Toy Show the Musical

The board will also admit to failing to ask questions about the debacle, which cost the licence fee payer €2.3m.

And TDs will be told the board apologises for the serious deficiencies in governance in RTÉ.

But the finger of blame will be firmly pointed at RTÉ management for the musical flop.

Appearing at the Oireachtas Media Committee, RTÉ board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh will refer to an investigation into the musical.

“The report clearly illustrates that the board was not kept appropriately informed about the project as it was being developed. Information was withheld from the board. Significant contracts were committed to without the knowledge or approval of the full Board.

“The commercial risks associated with an undertaking of this nature were grossly underestimated. The project was not appropriately stress tested. External expert advice was ignored,” her statement to the committee says.

The chair says the report confirms a “significant lapse in oversight” of Toy Show The Musical.

The Grant Thornton report finds board approval was required for the musical and it also finds that the formal approval of the board was neither sought nor provided for.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh says the report also highlights a failure in generally accepted accounting practices, in that sponsorship was not correctly presented to the board and all costs were not properly captured and linked to the project.

"However, it is also clear to me that the Executive should have been interrogated by the Board on the project, on an ongoing basis and in a much more rigorous fashion.

“In this regard the Board acknowledge that they should have asked more questions, and it is a source of regret for each member that they did not. We take collective responsibility for the Board’s responsibility in this debacle,” she says.