Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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206. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide details of how often she has met the new chairperson of RTE; if these meetings were in person or via video link; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42315/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I have met with the Chairperson of RTÉ, Mr. Terence O’Rourke on six occasions, since his appointment by the Government on 5 March 2024. Meetings with the Chairperson took place on the following dates:

• 7 March 2024 (Video link meeting);
• 19 March 2024 (In-person meeting);
• 7 May 2024 (Video link meeting);
• 29 May 2024 (In-person meeting);
• 1 July 2024 (Video link meeting); and
• 23 July 2024 (Video link meeting).

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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207. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide details of progress made by her Department regarding the implementation of recommendations made in the EAC review of governance and culture in RTE; if she will provide a breakdown of each recommendation, stating the status of action on each; which target dates have been missed to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42316/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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On 7 May 2024, the Government accepted in principle the 90 recommendations of the Expert Advisory Committee appointed to carry out a review of the Governance and Culture in RTÉ. While the majority of the recommendations require implementation by RTÉ, 15 require measures or actions to be carried out by my Department.

An implementation plan, setting out how my Department would give effect to the relevant recommendations, including 8 that require amendments to the Broadcasting Act 2009, was published in 25 June. Since then, work has been underway within my Department to give effect to these 15 recommendations, and a summary of the progress made is attached.

As set out above, a total of 8 recommendations required amendment of the Broadcasting Act, and on 8 October, I secured Government approval for a General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, which I subsequently published.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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208. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she or her Department have been made aware of any exit packages paid out by RTE in 2024 in respect of former executives; if she will provide a breakdown of the individual amounts paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42317/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The RTÉ Chairperson advised me at a meeting on 29 May 2024, that RTÉ was in the process of negotiating a mediated exit settlement through the Workplace Relations (WRC) for a senior member of staff, that the process was ongoing, would be considered by the Board’s Remuneration Committee, and that the Chairperson would provide me with an update on the matter in due course.

On 20 August 2024, the Chairperson advised me that the matter had been concluded, however, given that it was mediated through the WRC, the details of the settlement were, and remain, confidential and as such could not be disclosed. I respect this legal process and the confidentiality provisions of the resulting agreements.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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209. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she expects RTE to come under the remit of the comptroller and auditor general; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42318/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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On 7 May 2024, the Government accepted in principle the 116 recommendations of the Expert Advisory Committees appointed to carry out reviews of RTÉ in relation to Governance and Culture and Contractor Fees, HR and Other Matters. The re-assignment of the Comptroller and Auditor General as auditor of RTÉ was a key recommendation of the Expert Advisory Committee on Governance and Culture.

On the 25 June 2024, I published an implementation plan setting out how my Department would give effect to the 15 recommendations made by the Expert Advisory Committees which fall to my Department. The plan identified 8 recommendations that require amendments to the Broadcasting Act 2009.

On the 8th of October 2024, following Government approval, I published the General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill which, inter alia, provides for the implementation of recommendations of the Expert Advisory Committees.

The General Scheme provides that the Comptroller and Auditor General will undertake the following activities in relation to RTÉ:

• carry out an audit of the RTÉ's annual accounts under section 5 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993;
• carry out, where the Comptroller and Auditor General considers it appropriate, a value-for-money examination under section 9 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993;
• submit, under section 11 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993;
  • on foot of its annual audit, an audit report;
  • on foot of an annual audit or any value-for-money examination, a special report.