Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also thank Senator Keoghan and, indeed, the Seanad Office for guiding us through the necessary formalities on this. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 15 be taken before No. 1 today." This relates to my Bill, the Broadcasting (Restriction of Salaries) Bill 2023, which I hope will be debated in the Seanad next week.

We are all aware of the crisis that has broken out at RTÉ. It is a crisis of transparency and accountability. We do not know the full details yet but there is major public concern about the possibility that arrangements were made to deal with certain people's salaries in a manner designed to deceive the public as to their true nature. To quote an infamous phrase from the politics of Britain and Ireland, that is "an appalling vista". However, there has been concern for a long time over the issue of salaries in the public service broadcaster. The reason, notwithstanding the commercial dimension of RTÉ's activities, is that once you are talking about the significant amount of public funding that comes from the television licence, you are dealing with the reality that money is fungible and that any salaries, howsoever constructed or sourced through private contractual arrangements or contracts of service, are therefore ultimately about the use of public funding.There are market realities as to whether it is really the case that major salaries have to be paid to secure the services of certain people and whether those services are essential. There is the reality that being in a prominent role in a public service broadcaster contributes to significant earning potential outside of the broadcaster by way of private engagement.

The Bill, which we will have a chance to discuss next week, seeks to limit any salaries, howsoever constructed through contract or otherwise, so that remuneration does not exceed that of the Minister, taking into account public service benefits. It will require the publication of any salaries that are equivalent to those of a Dáil Deputy. It will also provide that it is an offence to breach those caps and that it will be an offence, with serious penalties, to cause the public to be deceived in any way as to salary levels. There are other provisions also. It would be a contractual requirement that those employed would not disclose their personal views on matters of public controversy. It would also require RTÉ to set out the sanctions to apply where breaches of the codes are found by the compliance committee. I hope it will get a good debate in the Seanad next week. I hope there will be support on all sides of the House for it.