RTÉ director-general Kevin Bakhurst said the national broadcaster may have to consider compulsory redundancies “at some point” as it deals with massive reductions in TV licence purchases.
After a scandal rocked the broadcaster in June, there were 37,089 fewer licences purchased across eight weeks when compared directly with the numbers bought in the same period last year – representing a possible loss of €5.9 million.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Minister for Media Catherine Martin, Mr Bakhurst said RTÉ is “absolutely not considering compulsory redundancies at the moment” but added: “We may have to do that at some point.”
The meeting came ahead of the publication of a highly anticipated report into the finances of the broadcaster.
An interim forensic accounting report into RTÉ’s barter account system, carried out by Mazars, is to be published later on Friday.
Asked about the report, he said: “It is useful for us, there are actions to be taken.”
He said he had a “very positive, wide-ranging, useful” discussion with the minister.
Mr Bakhurst said he discussed the broadcaster’s future funding with Ms Martin.
Asked about discussions with Government on future funding for RTÉ, Mr Bakhurst said: “It is urgent but the timing has to be right and we’ve got to show we’ve made changes to the organisation before that can start.”
Asked about a Future of Media Commission recommendation that RTÉ be funded through taxation rather than the licence fee, Mr Bakhurst said it was a “really interesting thing to be explored”.
He added: “It is working very well in Sweden, for example.”
The measure was rejected by the Government when the report came out last year.
Mr Bakhurst said the broadcaster wants to “try out various people” in the 9am Radio One slot, after he decided Ryan Tubridy would not return to his show.
Mr Bakhurst said he has not spoken to Tubridy since that decision.
Separately, he said a register of employees’ interests will be published “in relatively short order”.
In addition, he said he was “surprised” that RTÉ had approved a presenter to post an ad campaign for ‘butt lifts’ on their social media.
