Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,648 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: What we are getting to here is around the levels of knowledge of the original contract and who knew what. That is why I asked very specific questions around who was in the room and who knew. This is part of the problem - it clearly seems that people did not speak to each other around elements of the deal. I wish to come back to Mr. Collins. When I put the question to him, and I...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: If his predecessor, as chief financial officer, who knew some of the detail, spoke about this, would Mr. Collins not have asked some of the questions?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: Everyone remembers what was happening in Covid. We remember that people from RTÉ came before this committee and the Government gave significant wage supports to RTÉ. The difficulty we have is that we were misled at the time around some of the financial arrangements. The wage subsidies were about trying to protect employment. People were taking salary cuts and yet, arguably - I...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: When did Ms Doherty become aware that Ryan Tubridy's salary was understated?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: In March 2023. Nobody would have alerted Ms Doherty at any stage that there were questions about the figures that had been put into the public domain?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: Perhaps we may come back to the auditors question. I wish to ask, briefly, about Toy Show The Musical. Ms Doherty is one of the most experienced theatre producers and content creators in the country. Was Ms Doherty consulted around Toy Show The Musical at any stage?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: Ms Ní Raghallaigh pre-empted my question. She will recall that I put it to her and Ms Anne O'Leary - I did not think it was fair to ask Robert Shortt - last week whether they had continued confidence in the executive. Our difficulty is the more drip-drip-drip, the more damage is being done to the reputation of RTÉ. Ms Ní Raghallaigh's role as chair and that of the new...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: We have already seen one director general step down. Does Ms Ní Raghallaigh expect that we will see others stepping down?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I want to ask one question and make one comment. My question is in regard to the motor vehicles. Are the witnesses aware that in all instances, benefit-in-kind would be paid on all of those transactions? The witnesses can come back to me with an answer I want to make a general comment. In fairness to the witnesses here, this is the third day that they have come before Oireachtas...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I will allow just a couple of minutes for any further questions. In terms of final comments, if any of the panel-----

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I know. I am now going to ask for a response.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I want to address the agreement with Ryan Tubridy that Senator Conway asked about.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: Hang on Senator Conway. We went around for one round of questions.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate that. In fairness to the witnesses, they have been here since half past one.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I asked the question about benefit-in-kind in terms of any of the cars.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: Okay, so we will get we get clarity on it. I am conscious of the time so I ask whether Ms Ni Raghallaigh wants to make any final remarks.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses because I am conscious that it has been a long day. I also thank the clerk and the staff here and those who prepared the documentation. We are aware of the issue of Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly seeking to appear before the committee. There will be a private meeting of the committee to determine when that will go ahead. That concludes our business for today. The...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witness for coming before the committee today. I will start by saying that Ms Ní Raghallaigh indicated earlier that the second Grant Thornton review should be completed within four weeks. Ms Ní Raghallaigh, will you give a commitment that you will come back before the committee when the review has been completed and also to answer questions at this stage?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: It seems very clear, and following from the previous set of questions, that Noel Kelly seems almost to be able to dictate contracts to RTÉ and they are simply accepted. I find unbelievable the idea that RTÉ is operating off partially verbal contracts. My next question is for Mr. Lynch. How many people in RTÉ are represented by Noel Kelly?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Byrne: What is an approximate figure? Perhaps Geraldine O'Leary or another one of your colleagues knows this.