Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The general public and workers at RTÉ are utterly appalled at the revelations of secret payments to Ryan Tubridy. They raise a number of questions about the public service role of RTÉ. One aspect is the function of effectively secret agreements with companies. In this case, what we are led to believe is that in 2020, RTÉ made an arrangement with the car company, Renault, whereby in order to avoid it appearing on RTÉ's balance sheet, Renault would make a payment of €75,000 to Ryan Tubridy, in return for which Renault got a credit note for advertising worth €75,0000 and a number of visits - three I think - by Ryan Tubridy. In other words, it cost Renault nothing and the company got a benefit from it.

This raises a number of questions. First, an FOI from RTÉ Climate Watch to which an answer was received on 15 February 2022, asked about all communications and documents regarding any payments or payments in kind from the motoring, aviation, or travel industries to any RTÉ staff member. The answer came back to say that there was nothing which seems to suggest that this FOI is incorrect. Second, it raises a broader question about the role of fossil fuel advertising at RTÉ and whether it is having an influence on what is produced editorially. An interesting fact is that the "Late Late Show" has referenced climate change twice in its entire history. Both times were when it had climate change deniers on. It did not deal with this, the biggest issue facing all of humanity, at any stage. It is time to have a conversation about getting rid of the influence of these fossil fuel companies as we have got rid of the role of tobacco advertising, for example.

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