RTE boss orders exterior assessment of voluntary exit scheme
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n exterior assessment of RTE’s voluntary exit scheme has been ordered after an Oireachtas committee heard {that a} bundle obtained by one senior government was not topic to the required sign-off.
RTE director-general Kevin Bakhurst commissioned the probe that may cowl the years 2017-2021.
The examination will feed into the Government’s assessment of contractor charges and human sources on the broadcaster.
RTE introduced the transfer after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was instructed the voluntary redundancy bundle for former RTE chief monetary officer (CFO) Breda O’Keeffe was not signed off by each member of the broadcaster’s government.
This is a matter that I take very critically
Ms O’Keeffe left the organisation in 2020.
Current CFO Richard Collins stated he was on the manager board when the cost to his predecessor was made however not when it was agreed.
Mr Collins instructed the PAC: “I knew nothing about that package, Breda never explained anything about it, the director-general (Dee Forbes) never did.”
Interim deputy director-general Adrian Lynch was additionally on the manager board on the time however stated he solely turned conscious she exited via the voluntary redundancy scheme final week.
Labour TD Alan Kelly stated all members of the manager workforce have been alleged to log off such packages.
Mr Lynch stated this was “absolutely factually correct”.
Asked by Mr Kelly how he couldn’t have signed off the bundle, Mr Lynch stated: “It never came to us for sign-off.”
Mr Bakhurst, who additionally gave proof to the committee, stated the matter was being examined.
“This is an issue that I take very seriously because this is exactly about bringing significant decisions to the executive,” he instructed committee members.
Prior to Thursday night’s announcement, Mr Kelly had urged RTE to analyze if there have been different situations of the voluntary redundancy scheme wherein the put up being vacated was not suppressed or discontinued – which he stated was the case for Ms O’Keeffe’s position.
Later within the committee, which sat for four-and-a-half hours, Mr Lynch interjected throughout a niche in questioning in search of to make a “point of clarification”.
Mr Lynch stated: “I received a text from the former CFO, just to say she would dispute the idea that nobody in the exec board knew…”
There was consternation within the chamber as Mr Lynch was interrupted to be instructed the committee couldn’t settle for second-hand proof.
Ms O’Keeffe had instructed the Public Accounts Committee she wouldn’t attend on Thursday as she had nothing additional so as to add to her contributions to the media committee final week.
Following admonishment from a number of members of the committee, Mr Lynch sought to defend his contribution concerning the textual content message.
“I received a text, whatever it was, 20 minutes ago,” he stated.
“I thought it was very important having made a statement in front of the house that that should be correct with that information.
“I thought it was material.”