RTÉ has revealed a U-turn decision not to publish the names of its top 100 earners.
Amid the payments scandal, the broadcaster pledged to publish the salaries of their highest-earning employees.
On July 5, it released an anonymised list – which revealed each of these 100 employees are paid more than €100,000 per annum.
The top earning list includes 84 staff members and 16 contractors. 59 of these hold management positions, 10 are members of the executive board, and 31 are presenters or not in management.
At the top of the earnings list are presenters, and the top three earners make €515,000, followed by €343,083 and €342,000.
At the time, RTÉ didn’t name the top 100, citing data protection concerns.
The broadcaster has since made the decision not to publish their names amid criticism it’s trying to “hide” their identities.
Documents obtained by the Irish Daily Mail show that RTÉ won’t publish the list.
The broadcaster said it would be “inappropriate” to ask staff their permission to published their name and salary, claiming several staff members complained to its Data Protection Officer.
RTÉ’s Director General Kevin Bakhurst and other executives are set to be questioned by the Oireachtas Media Committee on Wednesday, September 13.
Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, who called on RTÉ to publish its top 100 earners, told the publication: “The least they can do is honour their previously made commitments around the area of transparency and around the area of the salaries within the organisation.”
Asked if RTÉ made a mistake in not publishing the top 100 earners’ names, Mr O’Connor said: “It shows that they want to hide who these people are. I have great respect for RTÉ in respect of their current affairs and sports departments.”
The politician then said the broadcaster is now “treating the public with contempt”.
