RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst releases details of controversial exit packages for departing top executives

In a statement released just after 4pm, Mr Bakhurst said: “As I have stated already, RTÉ has previously received legal advice that it is restricted from providing details regarding the departures of individuals from RTÉ. This advice was shared with both the PAC [Public Accounts Committee] and the JOC [Joint Oireachtas Committee].

“However, in the interests of transparency, I can clarify matters with regard to the exits of the four executives who departed RTÉ after I started as Director-General, and I am doing so with their agreement.”

He said: “Geraldine O'Leary retired from RTÉ, and her role as Director of Commercial, and did not receive an exit payment. Paula Mullooly decided to leave RTÉ, and her role as Director of Legal Affairs, to pursue another opportunity and did not receive an exit payment.”

Rory Coveney was RTÉ's director of strategy and had come under pressure during Oireachtas hearings last week over RTÉ's decision to run the Toy Show The Musical project, and the fact that the organisation lost €2.2m on the project.

“Rory Coveney and I agreed that it was best that he stand down from his role as Director of Strategy. This enabled the beginning of the restructuring of the leadership team and the suppression of his role,” Mr Bakhurst said.

“Responsibility for Strategy has passed to Adrian Lynch, with no additional compensation, in addition to his substantive role as Director of Audience, Channels and Marketing. Rory's role became redundant, an exit payment was offered by RTÉ and accepted by Rory, and with no backfill being made RTÉ will recoup that payment by July of this year.”

Richard Collins, RTÉ's former Chief Financial Officer, was one of the RTÉ executives who appeared before Oireachtas committees to answer questions about the controversy engulfing the national broadcaster.

Mr Bakhurst’s statement went on: “Following independent mediation, Richard Collins, RTÉ's former Chief Financial Officer, departed RTÉ by mutual agreement, with a binding confidentiality clause that was agreed to by both sides and in the interest of fairness and respect cannot be breached".

Mr Bakhurst reiterated the fact that, in relation to all the exits, he has sought “an update to the legal advice previously received."

The statement comments came after another week of bruising revelations for RTÉ.

Focus this week concentrated on exit packages given to former RTÉ executives.

On Wednesday, it was revealed at the Oireachtas's Media Committee that a €450,000 exit package was given to former RTÉ chief financial officer Breda O'Keefe without the knowledge of the full executive board.

It also emerged during the committee that Mr Coveney and Mr Collins also received exit packages.

Mr Bakhurst had until now refused to give details of Mr Coveney's and Mr Collins' exit packages, citing legal constraints.

A draft Oireachtas committee report on the financial and governance crisis at RTÉ calls for the broadcaster's accounts to be brought back under the oversight of the public auditor, the committee chair said earlier this week.

Public Accounts Committee chairman Brian Stanley said a "central recommendation" would be for RTÉ to come under the scope of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).

Sinn Féin TD Mr Stanley, who stressed the final report had yet to be signed off by committee members, said there had to be an end to the "drip feed" of revelations related to the national broadcaster's accounts.

Mr Stanley told RTÉ Radio One that the organisation needed to be more transparent.

"The public are left guessing here, but the facts are is that there shouldn't be a legal impediment to that, there should be no problem with it," he said.

"This is not a secret society. This is the public sector broadcaster being funded by the public."

Several former executives continue to decline invitations to appear before both the Public Accounts and Media committees to give evidence on their role in the various RTÉ controversies.

Mr Stanley confirmed his committee had sought permission from the Committee for Remit and Oversight to extend its compellability powers to enable it to secure the attendance of certain witnesses.

"It would be useful for those people, for the missing people, to come in," he said.

"And let's hear their side of the story. They obviously have a tale to tell. I'd certainly like to hear it and that should be available any time in the future."

Mr Stanley said RTÉ's accounts used to be scrutinised by the C&AG until legislation was changed in the mid-1990s.

The said reverting to the original approach would give the PAC better access to the accounts.

He said the move was a key recommendation of the committee's draft report on the RTE furore.

"One of the central recommendations is that would be brought back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General," he said.

"In other words, there would be a double audit and the Public Accounts Committee would have clear oversight of what is going on there."

More to follow…