Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The last number of weeks have seen public trust in the national broadcaster reach an all-time low with the news of top-up payments, slush funds and junkets to football matches and rugby tournaments coming as a shock to many. Appearances before the Committee of Public Accounts and Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media fell far short of what would be expected of a public body in receipt of huge amounts of public money. The key point for most is that we are now looking at an organisation that is in serious need of reform.

Last week's committee appearances showed us an organisation that has been run with a real lack of oversight and transparency for a number of years. I welcome the Minister announcing the two separate reviews into RTÉ today. I also welcome the Minister deciding to exercise her powers under the Broadcasting Act to appoint a forensic accountant to examine RTÉ accounts for previous years. We know enough by now to know that is absolutely warranted.

I feel for the staff in RTÉ. They are on modest wages and have had their pay cut in recent years. The last couple of weeks have surely come as a slap to the face and they have every right to be angry. It seems public money was thrown about on a whim by executives, while staff were expected to take a hit in the name of cost-cutting measures. The culture that has existed for the last number of years must be dismantled if there is any hope of RTÉ gaining back the confidence of the public. A rebrand may perhaps be needed down the line. Either way, the days of obscene salaries and slush funds need to be well and truly over.

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