Former 2FM DJ Keith Walsh has revealed he is “looking for compensation” from RTÉ.
The former Breakfast Republic presenter is set to sue the national broadcaster for hundreds of thousands of euros.
Keith has claimed that he is owed this money in entitlements he missed out on after being wrongly classified as a contractor.
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The former DJ told the Irish Daily Mail that he is also seeking compensation for the reputational damage he suffered following being dropped by the station.
Keith revealed he was forced to leave his role in 2020 after the Department of Social Protection found that he was incorrectly treated as a contractor, rather than an employee during his seven-year stint at RTÉ.
The review is examining nearly 700 cases of potentially incorrect self-employment at RTÉ.
The review stated that in Keith’s case, RTÉ “exercised a level of control that would be consistent with that of an employer/ employee relationship.”
The news comes after the incoming Taoiseach Simon Harris stated that he wants to put an end to the “constant drama that has been coming out of RTÉ.”
RTÉ has already made a €1.2 million payment to Revenue, in respect of 35 workers, who were labelled under misclassified employment, however this matter could cost the broadcaster millions more.
A recent report into RTÉ by the Oireachtas’ Public Accounts Committee said it may cost the broadcaster “tens of millions,” due to monies owed to Revenue.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said there is “less than” €20million set aside to deal with these cases.
Labour TD Alan Kelly said this “won’t come within an ass’s roar” of the final cost.
Keith worked for 2FM five days a week, from 6 am until lunchtime, from 2014 to 2020.
He revealed that he received a decision from the Scope inquiry last week that he was subjected to an incorrect status of self-employment.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said his employment was investigated under the 2018 independent review by lawyers in Eversheds Sutherland into 433 freelancers in RTÉ for that period.
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“It brings into question the whole way I was treated. Was I effectively made redundant with no severance? If I should have been an employee, it changes that whole scenario,” he said.
“It was the busiest I had ever been, at the time I thought, I’m not good enough, that’s why RTÉ are getting rid of me.”
“It was reputational damage too. If you’re looking at it from the outside, I didn’t get another job in RTÉ anywhere.”
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“I’ll definitely be looking for compensation, and whatever I am entitled to. I worked hard for it and I should still be there working hard.”
“It’s not like I could just get someone else to do the job for me when I wasn’t available,” he said.
“There were a lot of ups and downs with that show and we put a lot of effort into it and got the listenership up. A lot was expected of us.”
“We represented RTÉ all of the time. There’s a lot being asked of you… and for them to then say, well, you’re just kind of a contractor.”
Goss.ie has reached out to RTÉ for a comment on the matter.
