Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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I first raised the topic of Ryan Tubridy’s current contractual status. Obviously we all know that it has gone into abeyance, based on the evidence that I think was given to Deputy Burke or Devlin, although I cannot remember because I am mithered at this stage. There are people watching out there who have small businesses, large businesses or anything. Basically now RTÉ has to negotiate with him, even though he is not working. RTÉ has to negotiate with him to pay him something even though he does not work for RTÉ and we do not know whether he will or not into the future. How do you even start to do that negotiation? How was it that when you knew he was retiring that the contract was not looked at - forgetting before all of this crisis happened - that this was where RTÉ was going? No other organisation, company or business can act like that. This is taxpayers’ money. How did this happen? How can you go forward? How can you even negotiate?