Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In áit a bheith trédhearcach faoin eolas atá ag RTÉ faoin scannal íocaíochta, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil RTÉ ag tabhairt an eolais dúinn píosa ar phíosa. Ní féidir linn muinín a bheith againn as an eolas a thagann ó mbord feidhmiúcháin agus tá feidhmeannaigh an bhoird ag caitheamh go holc leis an bpobal. Tá a fhios againn nach bhfuil an fhírinne iomlán tagtha chun solais go fóill agus níl muinín mar sin agamsa sa bhord feidhmiúcháin in RTÉ.

It is now three months since RTÉ's executive board was first alerted to the broadcaster's hidden payments to Ryan Tubridy. Here we are, three months on, still in the dark in relation to what has gone on. Rather than having all of the answers, we are facing even more questions than when this scandal started. RTÉ said it would be upfront and transparent with the public and that it would not drip-feed information but that is exactly what it is doing. More and more information is emerging day by day. RTÉ's executives are still giving selective information when it is forced out of them. They are not being upfront about all of the facts. The revelations we are hearing about are damning. We now know there was not one but three barter accounts, despite the fact that the chief financial officer came before committees of the Oireachtas last week and categorically stated last there was only one. Top executives came before Oireachtas committees last week and said they would be upfront and truthful but it now seems their answers have shown contempt for the Oireachtas, the public and the truth.

We cannot trust the information that is coming from the executive board. The information they submitted today to the committee states that the barter accounts "are used by RTÉ solely in the context of its commercial activity of selling advertising airtime". We know that is categorically untrue. We already know that these accounts were used to make hidden payments to Ryan Tubridy.

Public confidence in RTÉ is on the floor. Trust is in tatters. An insider culture has been exposed at the very heart of RTÉ, with one rule for ordinary workers and another rule for those at the top. At a time when journalists on low and middle salaries were trying to negotiate fair pay and conditions and when ordinary households were struggling to pay their annual licence fee during the cost-of-living crisis, the insider culture at the heart of RTÉ led to this sweetheart deal. All too often, this insider culture is how things work in this country for people at the top. We have seen countless examples of this insider culture over the past three years and it has to stop.

RTÉ needs to build trust again with the public and it is clear that these executives are not the team to do it. I do not have confidence in the executive board of RTÉ. Does the Taoiseach have confidence in it? I understand a mechanism was put in place between the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and RTÉ for oversight. There were meant to be monthly meetings between the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform, and RTÉ in respect of finance and accounts. Was that structure put in place? Did those monthly meetings take place? Were both Ministers kept informed? Was the proper information furnished by RTÉ to the Departments?

I have asked the Taoiseach on a number of occasions to appoint an auditor to go into RTÉ, in line with the Broadcasting Act. I said that on a number of occasions last week because I believed we could not trust the information that was coming and time has shown that to be true. I have said we need to appoint somebody to get the full facts and to get to the bottom of it. I welcome the fact that the Government has now accepted my suggestion. When will the auditor be appointed and start the work? When will the public have that information?

As I said, I do not have confidence in the executive board. Does the Taoiseach have confidence in the executive board?

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