RTÉ has appointed two new board members, following the controversial resignation of Siún Ní Raghallaigh.
Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, confirmed their appointments today, alongside two new members to the Board of TG4.
Minister Martin said: “At its meeting today, Government approved the appointment of two new members to each of the Boards of RTÉ and TG4.”
“On behalf of the Government, I would like to wish all four new members the very best of luck as they undertake a very important role in supporting public service broadcasting in Ireland.”
Noreen O’Kelly and Shirley Bradshaw have been appointed to the Board of RTÉ, while Muireann Ní Chíobháin and Éamonn Ó hÁrgáin have been appointed to the Board of TG4.
Commenting on the appointments to the Board of RTÉ, Minister Martin said: “With a background in accounting and finance, Noreen has extensive experience in both executive and non-executive roles in the public and private sector, and this will be of particular benefit to the Board.
“Shirley, who started her career in RTÉ in 1994, will take on the important role of staff representative on the Board.”
The news comes just three weeks after RTÉ’s Director General Kevin Bakhurst addressed a staff rally at Montrose.
Staff held a rally outside the RTÉ studios on February 28th, due to the broadcasters ongoing controversies.
The RTÉ head told the rally it had been a “rough few weeks” for the broadcaster, and revealed he is “absolutely determined” to make it a better organisation for people to work in.
At the time, the National Union of Journalists called for a focus to be put on funding for public service broadcasting, following Catherine Martin’s meeting with the Oireachtas Media Committee.
Martin faced a three-hour grilling from TDs and Senators at the Oireachtas Media Committee that same week.
The meeting centred around the controversial resignation of the former chair of the RTÉ Board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh
Speaking at the rally, NUJ Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said the resignation of Ní Raghallaigh and the circumstances surrounding her departure have added a sense of “chaos” which has “engulfed the organisation”.
He added: “The ongoing political controversies, the carousel of allegations and counter-allegations and the drip feed of information have left an already demoralised staff reeling. What RTÉ workers now need is a sharp focus on the future.”
RTE journalist and NUJ representative Emma O’Kelly also spoke at the rally.
Ms O’Kelly told the rally that members of the NUJ and RTE “remain concerned” at the “financial crisis” which has been caused by the delay in reforming the financing of the public service broadcaster.
She said: “Legitimate concern over corporate governance failures and understandable anger at the lack of engagement by former senior executives should not be used to further delay decisions on the funding of public service broadcasting.”
“Our call on the government is to act immediately to confirm a new model of funding for public service broadcasting, one which provides certainty to RTÉ staff, the independent production sector, and the public.”
Ms O’Kelly added: “If you look at something like Toy Show the Musical, it was RTÉ desperately looking for a goose that would lay a golden egg because we were starved of public funding.”
She also highlighted that lessons need to be learnt from “everything that has happened”.
