This week saw RTÉ's senior executives go in front of the Media Committee and address questions in respect of multiple financial issues.

Redundancy programs, a €70,000 ad that has reportedly aggrieved many in the organisation’s own newsroom, and whether or not RTÉ had received back payments from Ryan Tubirdy were all addressed, among other things.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan told The Anton Savage Show that, as part of cost reduction measures, RTÉ is expected to announce 400 redundancies.

“In relation to who goes, it's a matter for the RTÉ management to make sure that they sustain the cohort of people and the skill set within the organisation to keep the organisation's front door open,” he said.

“We've been very clear that senior management are not allowed to be part of this and senior earners are not allowed to be part of this.

“But we also are very adamant that the organisation needs to be leaner and more efficient and it needs to lean more heavily on the independent sector for productions.”

RTE Cameraman. Image: Karlis D / Alamy. 25 March 2022

Minister O’Donovan said in the future, RTÉ will be required to “spend a particular percentage per annum of public monies on the independent production sector”.

“Once we have gotten to a situation where we have slimmed down smaller organisation, that will be a chance for us to see where the efficiency is now being made in terms of the monies that have been given to RTÉ,” he said.

“RTÉ is essentially in a bailout at the moment; it's being kept open by virtue of the Government's support.

“We know that the television licence has recovered some bit, but not sufficiently enough to release it from the state support.

“In return for the state giving the amount of money which we're giving, we need to see change in the organisation and that change has to be to stack it.”

According to Minister O’Donovan, the organisation must make more of an effort to recover audiences that have been lost to alternatives like streaming services.

Main image: RTE Studios in Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland. Image: Andy Gibson / Alamy. 19 July 2023