Crisis in RTÉ: Opposition demands media minister answers questions in Dáil as Bakhurst backs ex-chair over exit payment row

Ms Martin is also facing calls for her resignation after she was accused of "summarily dismissing" the chairwoman of the RTÉ board on live television on Thursday night.

Ms Martin said she had been "misinformed" about the approval of an exit package for a former RTÉ executive Richard Collins and was "deeply disappointed" when asked to express confidence in Siún Ní Raghallaigh, who then dramatically resigned this morning.

Speculation had been building ahead of a press conference by Ms Martin later this afternoon that the remaining members of the RTÉ board would now resign, but the Irish Independent understands that this will not happen.

On Friday afternoon, Sinn Féin chief whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn demanded the minister answer questions about the matter in the Dáil next week.

"On behalf of Sinn Féin, I have written to the Ceann Comhairle and the Dáil Business Committee requesting that Minister Catherine Martin come before the Dáil next week and take questions from the opposition about this RTÉ mess,” he wrote on social media.

It comes after RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst backed up the former chairperson’s version of events after the row with Ms Martin cost her the top job.

Mr Bakhurst has today issued a statement outlining his recollection of interactions with Ms Ní Raghallaigh and the minister over recent days.

He also said the correct procedures were followed when agreeing a payoff for RTÉ’s ex-chief financial officer Richard Collins.

Speaking about a three hour meeting with Ms Martin earlier this week, the Director General said: “A large volume of issues were addressed and discussed, and within that context some confusion arose regarding a question from the Minister to the Chair about the approval by the RTÉ Board of the exit of former CFO Richard Collins.

“The Chair had in fact informed the Department about the process which led to Richard Collin's departure from RTÉ on October 10, the day after it was approved at the Remuneration Committee which has delegated powers from the Board. This detail was taken as read although it seems now that it shouldn't have been.”

He added that after checking the minutes of the Remuneration Committee of the RTÉ Board, Ms Ní Raghallaigh “moved swiftly” to correct this detail with department officials on Thursday, and remind them that the correct process had been followed, and that the Chair had previously informed the Department of same.

The Irish Independent understands Ms Ní Raghallaigh told the minister's highest-ranking official about the exit package for Mr Collins.

The secretary general Katherine Licken retired from her role last month.

“They spoke on the phone. This was someone with whom Siún had frequent contact. This was a pivotal relationship in terms of trying to keep the ship stable,” a senior source told the Irish Independent.

Ms Martin’s officials cannot say if the department was told about former chief financial officer Richard Collins departure.

RTÉ has been plunged into yet another major crisis after Siún Ní Raghallaigh dramatically resigned in the early hours of Friday morning.

Last night, Ms Martin said she was twice misinformed about the RTÉ board approving the package for Mr Collins.

She accused the chair of failing to tell her she approved a golden handshake for an executive.

Following this TV appearance, Ms Ní Raghallaigh resigned just before 1am on Friday morning, but insisted she had informed the minister’s officials of the payoff deal last October.

“I informed the Department about the process which led to Richard’s departure from RTÉ, on October 10th, the day after it was approved at the Remuneration Committee,” she said in a statement.

“I no longer have the confidence of the Minister in my role as Chair of the Board of RTÉ and that, as such, my position is no longer tenable,” she added.

Calls to resign

Now, the Labour Party has called on Media Minister Catherine Martin to resign.

Senator Marie Sherlock said outgoing RTÉ Board Chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh's statement shows Minister Martin "was in fact" kept informed of the exit packages of former RTÉ executives.

Senator Sherlock said Minister Martin's position is now untenable.

“Ní Raghallaigh’s statement suggests that the Department has a written record of notification from the Board following the remuneration committee’s approval of exit packages," Senator Sherlock said.

“This must be published in full immediately."

“The Media Minister is the protector of RTÉ but crucially, the Minister should be the protector of the public purse," she added.

However, three cabinet ministers have expressed confidence in media minister Catherine Martin in the wake of the resignation of the chair of the RTÉ.

Speaking at the launch of a new domestic violence agency on Friday, both justice minister Helen McEntee and equality minister Roderic O’Gorman said that they had confidence in Ms Martin.

“I think Catherine Martin has handled this in the best way possible, she has engaged at every stage with the board and in particular with the chair of the board, that is the person she is legally responsible to engage with to ensure that the information that she gets is factual, is correct, and is the right information,” Ms McEntee said.

“I think it’s regrettable that a meeting that had been due to happen today between the minister and the chair of the board is now not going to happen, but I think what people want is information and transparency.”

Asked if RTÉ would still have a chair this morning had Ms Martin not made the comments on Prime Time on Thursday night, Ms McEntee said that she “can’t say what any individual may or may not have done.”

“Síun Ní Raghallaigh made the decision herself to offer her resignation.”

Mr O’Gorman said that his cabinet and party colleague Minister Martin had his “full confidence.”

Separately, speaking to RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne Higher Education Minister Simon Harris rejected suggestions Ms Martin’s position is untenable and said steps can be taken to bring clarity to the situation today.

“The RTÉ carousel, this constant saga needs to end. I am so sick and tired of coming into studios like this where we all we do in RTÉ is talk about RTÉ,” he said.

He said the director general Kevin Bakhurst and other members of the RTÉ management team could help resolve the situation today.

“RTÉ has a legal obligation to provide details in relation to the aggregate amount of exit payments. They don’t need to wait until Monday, they don’t need to wait until Tuesday.

“Get out a calculator, add up the figures and before the Six One News, produce them,” he said.

RTÉ could provide details on the methodology around exit payments or the minutes of the meetings of the remuneration committee without breaching any confidentiality agreements, Mr Harris said.

“The Department could of course produce any documents, notes or minutes it has of its engagement with RTÉ. There are things that can happen today that will actually help end this saga.”

Asked whether Ms Martin was right to “throw Ms Ní Raghallaigh under the bus” on Primetime, Mr Harris said he “didn’t accept the assertion” in the question.

“I think Siún Ní Raghallaigh is a very good and decent person. She epitomises the values of public service broadcasting and I think she’s done a great service,” Mr Harris said.

“The Minister found herself in an invidious situation last night that no Minister wishes to find themselves in.”

He said if she had pulled out of the Primetime appearance it would raise questions as to where she was and that she honestly answered the questions posed to her on the programme.

“It is really regrettable what the Minister would have liked to happen didn’t happen, which was that herself and Ms Ní Raghallaigh would have met today and Ms Ní Raghallaigh would have been in a position to talk through those issues.”

The youth wing of Fine Gael, Young Fine Gael, has called on Minister Martin to resign.

"Catherine Martin’s handling of the RTÉ debacle has been abysmal from the start. Time for her to resign," said a statement from the group.

Primetime

However, on Thursday evening, the minister refused to express confidence in the RTÉ chair. The minister had summoned the chair to a meeting on Friday morning before her resignation statement early on Friday morning.

Ms Martin said she was twice misinformed about the RTÉ board approving the package for former chief financial officer Richard Collins.

The minister wrote to the chair and “expressed my disappointment” at being told twice the board did not approve the package.

She says she was given misinformation on two occasions this week.

“I am deeply disappointed,” she said.

Ms Martin said it had been her understanding that the board had no role in two exit packages paid last year.

“I was assured by the chair that it was the case,” she said on RTÉ’s Primetime.

The minister said she checked twice this week on the board’s involvement.

“I again queried was there 100pc certainty,” she said.

The minister said she only learned on Thursday morning of the board’s involvement.

"(I found) out this morning that it was the incorrect information, that it was indeed approved by the remuneration committee in which the chair sits, and indeed chairs of that committee,” Ms Martin said.

“That is of concern because the Minister for Media must be in possession of the facts of the exact information, especially in a time of crisis and controversy like this.

“I would like to say though that Siún Ní Raghallaigh has done incredible work since she come on as chair, I think, especially since this crisis erupted.

“But I do feel I need to meet Siún to just talk through exactly how this arose. How could I be misinformed on these two occasions?

“It’s not satisfactory. I’ve always said that my direct line of communication in relation to RTÉ is through the chair of the board. So I am deeply disappointed with this.

“I’ve written to the chair this evening, and I’ve asked to meet her tomorrow to discuss this.”

Exit packages

Last week, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said there was a new process in place for the approval of exit packages. He contrasted that with previous arrangements, such as the €450,000 payment to former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe.

“I was not at RTÉ at this stage, but I have obviously heard discussions, read the documents and interrogated some of the answers.

I feel that neither the board nor the full executive were furnished with information they should have been. This is what I have tried to address now at RTÉ. These discussions were had in silos with a small group of people.

“The procedures were not followed. The board was not given the information it should have been on a standard basis, but especially when it specifically asked for pieces of information and was not given them. All I can say is my perception, from what I know now, is that whether it was deliberate, inadvertent or loosely run, this would not happen now. We have tightened up procedures. I would not stand for it. If the board asks for information from me now it gets it. I want to make that clear because it is only fair to the board members here,” he said.

Defence

Speaking this morning on RTÉ Radio One, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said Media Minister Catherine Martin had committed to doing an interview which she had “stuck with last night” to simply outline the facts that transpired earlier this week.

“She outlined the facts of the meeting and conversations she had and she said very clearly that she needed and wanted to speak with Siún Ní Raghallaigh to discuss further some of the information that had come to light today,” Ms McEntee told Morning Ireland.

She stressed that Minister Martin “did not dismiss” the former RTÉ Chair and that she stated the “huge amount of work” she has done over the last number of months.

Oireachtas Media Committee member FF Senator Malcolm Byrne said he is not "overly happy" with the handling of the latest crisis facing RTÉ.

He said Minister Martin should have not gone on Prime Time ahead of her meeting with Ms Ní Raghallaigh.

"If it does transpire that the Department was aware of the process surrounding Richard Collins’ exit package, this brings the Department into this dispute," he said.

"Siun Ni Raghallaigh is a dedicated public servant and has been honest and competent in her dealings with our committee. She and Kevin Bakhurst are trying to reform a very difficult organisation."