New RTÉ chair walking into firestorm amid calls for Media Minister Catherine Martin to resign

It comes as embattled Media ­Minister Catherine Martin last night faced calls to resign.

The Government was left reeling after a bombshell letter from former RTÉ chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh yesterday, who said she had no option but to resign after an “enforced dismissal” by the Media Minister.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh criticised Ms Martin for “actively taking a hands-off approach” to the widening scandal at RTÉ and accused her of not assisting with falling TV licence revenues.

Last night, the three leaders of the Coalition parties approved the suggestion of Terence O’Rourke as new chairman of the RTÉ board. The appointment will be put to a full cabinet meeting this morning for approval.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh resigned from her role hours after Ms Martin expressed disappointment in her during a Prime Time interview.

The new chair and two new board members are due to be appointed by the Cabinet today as the Dáil’s public spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee, publishes its report into the saga, which has plagued the broadcaster since last June.

The coalition leaders last night ­expressed confidence in Ms Martin as the opposition called on the ­minister to answer questions in the Dáil in the wake of Ms Ní Raghallaigh’s letter.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated his confidence in Ms Martin through his spokesperson.

A spokesperson for Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said: “Minister Ryan knows just how determined she is to transform RTÉ and public service broadcasting in Ireland.”

The PAC report is expected to ban all side deals, such as the one agreed by RTÉ for presenter Ryan Tubridy, which cost the taxpayer €150,000, and recommend the broadcaster is taken under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh broke her silence yesterday, saying she was left with “no option but to resign” after Ms Martin refused to express confidence in her during the Prime Time interview. She criticised the minister for “actively ­taking a hands-off approach” to the widening scandal at RTÉ.

“I cannot remain silent about the ­manner of my enforced dismissal which seemed designed to traduce my reputation,” Ms Ní Raghallaigh said.

Her statement was also sent on to the Oireachtas Media Committee.

In response, the minister “noted” the statement, but said she needed to rely on getting “clear, timely and accurate information” from the former RTÉ chair.

The minister said she “outlined in detail the position of the department officials and I on this matter” last week, attended the Media Committee and made Dáil statements.

“Any minister needs to rely on getting clear, timely and accurate information from the chair of a state body,” she said in a statement.

“I would again like to put on record my thanks to the former chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh for her dedication and commitment to RTÉ and public service broadcasting.”

Ms Martin said she will “seek to meet” the director general and new chair “in the coming days”.

The minister is once again facing calls to come into the Dáil and answer questions on the latest twist in the RTÉ saga.

Social Democrats TD and PAC deputy chair Catherine Murphy said the minister needs to address the issue in the Dáil.

“Ms Ní Raghallaigh’s damning statement raises a number of serious questions for the minister, which urgently need to be clarified,” she said.

“The minister now has serious questions to answer about whether she misled an Oireachtas Committee in an effort to scapegoat Ms Ní Raghallaigh and damage her reputation. The minister must come before the Dáil and ­answer ­questions as a matter of urgency.”

The Labour Party said Ms Martin should resign, calling the former chair’s statement a “devastating exposure”.

“Ultimately, the statement by the former chair calls into question how any future chair could work with this minister going forward,” Labour senator Marie Sherlock said.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh said Ms Martin had an active “hands-off approach” in communicating with her through her officials. She said during her 15 months as RTÉ chair, she only had a “handful” of meetings with the minister.

The former chairperson said it was “baffling” that the minister asked questions about an exit package for a former executive five months after it happened.

She also said Ms Martin did not assist in the board’s goals of restoring licence fee payers’ confidence in RTÉ.

“This was urgent, not least to continue to arrest the decline in licence fee compliance since the controversy began last summer and which, regretfully, was not assisted by the minister who said she would refuse to tell licence payers what to do,” she said.

She said at no point was she offered a phone call or a meeting with the minister “directly” before the Prime Time appearance. Giving a timeline of events leading up to the live interview, Ms Ní Raghallaigh said she had “no option but to resign” after Ms Martin told the programme she had sent a letter expressing disappointment in her.

Ms Ní Raghallaigh had been told by department officials before the interview she would be receiving a letter from Ms Martin expressing disappointment that she had been misinformed about the circumstances around an exit package for former chief financial officer Richard Collins. Ms Ní Raghallaigh asked the department not to send the letter as she felt it would reflect the minister expressing no confidence in her and make her position untenable.