‘If you’re watching, please make yourself available’: The RTÉ no-shows at the centre of media committee plea

The former, and current, RTE executives who did not attend the Oireachtas media committee today.

Eoghan Moloney

Chair of the Oireachtas Media Committee Niamh Smyth has pleaded to former RTÉ director general Dee Forbes and the numerous other former board members who did not attend today’s meeting to make themselves available.

Deputy Smyth said the committee did not want to go down the road of “compelling” people to appear before the committee but that they would do that if it was what was required to get answers regarding the numerous scandals at RTÉ.

The Fianna Fáil Deputy “appealed” to Ms Forbes to come in, saying: “If you are watching us, please make yourself available. We do not want to go down the road of compelling but we may be left with no option,” said Ms Smyth.

She also asked Ms Moya Doherty and Rory Coveney, former board members of the organisation, to come in. Both declined an invitation from the committee to attend and answer questions today.

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Nine current and former board members at RTÉ declined requests to attend today’s committee, which was focused largely on the debacle which was Toy Show The Musical, along with questions surrounding voluntary exit packages granted to former executives at RTÉ.

Two recipients of such packages – Rory Coveney and Breda O’Keeffe – were confirmed to have received exit payments. Ms O’Keeffe received €450,000 when leaving it was confirmed today.

Former CFO Breda O’Keeffe received €450,000 exit payment when leaving RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst says at Oireachtas committee _duplicated

Rory Coveney also received an exit package after his resignation last summer but Mr Bakhurst said due to legal issues he could not provide the details of his package, or any others.

Below is the list of people who refused to attend the committee today:

  • Dee Forbes, ex-Director General (declined on health grounds)
  • Jim Jennings, Director of Content (declined on health grounds)
  • Moya Doherty, ex-chairperson
  • Rory Coveney, ex-Director of Strategy
  • Richard Collins, ex-Chief Financial Officer
  • Geraldine O’Leary, ex-Director of Commercial
  • Breda O’Keeffe, ex-Chief Financial Officer (declined citing stress)
  • Ian Kehoe, ex-Board of Director Member and Audit and Risk Committee Member
  • Conor Murphy, ex-Board Member

A number of the Oireachtas Media Committee made their displeasure known about the absence of many former RTÉ executives.

Deputy Brendan Griffin began his questioning today by saying that it is "not good enough" that so many former RTÉ board members did not attend. He said that while the health reasons for some attending were noted, the fact that "so many" did not or would not come here today should be "looked into further".

Former CFO Ms Breda O’Keefe sent a legal letter to Mr Bakhurst yesterday, outlining a number of things she wanted him to say at today’s committee.

However, Ms O’Keefe refused a request to come before the committee this afternoon herself, citing stress.

“I even got a letter, as of yesterday evening, from the solicitors of the previous CFO, setting out a range of things she would like me to say in Committee," Mr Bakhurst said.

“The response was, 'you are invited, you can come and say them yourself'.

“It would be great if she did,” said Mr Bakhurst.

Mr Bakhurst, on numerous occasions, expressed his wish that those who did not attend, should do so as soon as they could.

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