RTÉ’s Director General Kevin Bakhurst has admitted there has been legal correspondence over the end of Ryan Tubridy’s contract.
Ryan was pulled from the airwaves back in June, after it was revealed his earnings had been publicly understated by €345,000 over the last six years.
Negotiations over his RTÉ radio contract had been put on hold amid the ongoing payment scandal, but RTÉ boss Kevin Bakhurst later confirmed that they had resumed.
While Ryan’s return to RTÉ seemed promising, Mr Bakhurst ceased negotiations with the presenter after he released a statement addressing the second Grant Thornton report.
The Director General also confirmed a salary of €170,000 had been agreed, and that Ryan was supposed to return to his radio show on September 4.
RTÉ bosses appeared before the Oireachtas Media Committee today to discuss the broadcaster’s expenditure of public funds and governance issues.
During the hearing, Mr Bakhurst revealed there has been legal correspondence from Ryan’s side over the end of his contract.
Mr Bakhurst later shared his belief that there’s a moral case for Ryan to repay the €150,000 – which he previously offered to repay, but noted that “he doesn’t have a source of income at the moment”.
The Director General also noted that RTÉ doesn’t have the legal mechanism to get the money back from Ryan.
Elsewhere in the hearing, Mr Bakhurst stated that Noel Kelly, Ryan’s talent agent, hasn’t been frozen out and that presenters are free to have whatever representatives they choose.
The RTÉ boss admitted that he won’t be negotiating with Mr Kelly.
