Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm an deis a fháil labhairt ar na ráitis a bhaineann le RTÉ. Tá sé an-soiléir gur scannal ollmhór é seo, agus tá sé soiléir chomh maith go bhfuil muinín na ndaoine ar fud an oileáin seo briste.

Yesterday, I wrote to the Corporate Enforcement Authority, CEA, requesting it to clarify whether the authority possessed sufficient statutory powers to investigate breaches of company law at RTÉ. I have received the response, and I want to thank the CEO of the CEA, Mr. Ian Drennan, for his prompt and comprehensive reply, which informed me that as RTÉ's requirement to submit financial statements is grounded in the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 rather than the Companies Act 2014, the CEA is limited in what it can do.

There is an urgent need to have that particular situation addressed through amending legislation, if necessary, which is something I will also be pursuing further. We can describe what is happening in RTÉ as creative accounting but there is another more appropriate phrase that more accurately reflects the white-collar manipulation of accounting procedures. This is an appalling mess compounded by the sheer arrogance and detachment of the board and senior management. We need a clear-out, and we need to make the licence fee optional.

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