Marty Whelan has revealed he won’t be retiring from RTÉ anytime soon.
The popular broadcaster isn’t on a staff contract with RTÉ, which means he won’t be forced to retire after turning 65 earlier this month.
Speaking to RSVP Magazine, the TV presenter explained: “I will be staying put here, I don’t have a staff element, I have been here on contract work all my life.”
On turning 65, Marty added: “I don’t know how it happened but it is happening!”
“It feels slightly odd because I haven’t acted my age since I was about 27 and I have boundless energy.”
Last May, the Winning Streak presenter criticised RTÉ for forcing experienced broadcasters to retire at 65 – following the departure of Sean O’Rourke and Mary Kennedy.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mirror, Marty said: “I think it’s a great pity because these people have the capability and still so much to offer for much longer, absolutely of course I do.”
“And I’ve always said that. It’s not something I am just figuring out now, I have always been of that belief one shouldn’t have to [retire].”
“When I think back to Larry Gogan, and Terry Wogan and Gay Byrne, and all of these radio broadcasters who went on into another age. To be young in the BBC was practically 90 as far as I recall,” he continued.
“So I don’t think people should be asked to or should retire at 65 if they are fine and well and capable of doing the job, because clearly that’s the main thing.”
“The thing about RTE has been and is that it is a part of people’s lives everywhere. You turn on the radio anywhere and you can find us, and all over the world.”
“We know from the radio show in the morning that people listen to us in Canada, in Australia, we know that. And then bang, you’re suddenly not there, and you are going ‘hang on a second’.”
“And I think it’s because RTE is an organisation that has brought these voices to people over the years, and it seems to be a great shame that people are being silenced at a certain stage.
“I think it’s a great pity,” he added.
