Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I know a lot about what happens in RTÉ. Their annual report and accounts are presented to Cabinet and, in addition, I have periodic meetings with senior people in RTÉ. I would meet the DG, maybe once or twice a year.

On the existence of barter accounts, the Deputy is correct that the issue is not the barter accounts per se. Barter accounts, I understand, are used commonly across the media, arts and entertainment sector. The misuse of barter accounts for secret payments is the real issue here. Certainly, I did not become aware of this until the last couple of weeks and only found out last night that there were additional barter accounts. Frankly, I am really bothered about that. The Tánaiste is too. I spoke to him this morning and spoke to the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin.

We are not satisfied at all about the answers that we have been given by RTÉ to date. It is below the standards that one would expect, not only of people working in a public body but, frankly, of anyone working in any body. It is not a satisfactory situation.

There is a difference between giving incorrect information to a committee or to the Dáil, which many of us would have done, and actually lying, and that has to be established. As the Deputy says, the executive board is made up of lots of different individuals. I am not happy, as Taoiseach, to condemn every single member of that board en masse. That would not be the right thing to do. People should be afforded a fair hearing and due process. We should know what all the facts are. That is the basis of my position.

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