RTÉ was under a “contractual obligation” to pay its top presenter Ryan Tubridy two amounts of €75,000, an investigation commissioned by the national broadcaster found.
On Tuesday evening, RTÉ published the report it received on June 16th from professional services firm Grant Thornton into payments made to Mr Tubridy, who is not named in the document.
It finds there was a contractual obligation on RTÉ to pay the former Late Late Show host the two amounts of €75,000 in excess of his contract.
Along with a statement from the executive of RTÉ, the organisation also published a partially redacted report from auditor Grant Thornton detailing the circumstances behind a pay agreement involving the star presenter and a commercial partner.
It finds there was a contractual obligation on RTÉ to pay Mr Tubridy, who is not named in the external report, the two amounts of €75,000 in excess of his contract.
The report found the contractual obligation was in the context of a tripartite agreement entered into between a commercial brand, RTÉ and Mr Tubridy in 2020, with the provision of a number of personal appearances by the presenter to the commercial brand. It was underwritten and guaranteed by RTÉ.
The report notes that the coronavirus pandemic was a “significant limiting factor” on the delivery of the personal appearance events, with the first of these not delivered until early 2022.
The report goes on to note that on May 2nd, 2022 and July 6t, 2022, Mr Tubridy’s agent raised invoices of €75,000 with a Barter Company – typically a middle party in a business negotiation.
The invoices referenced consultancy fees, which the report found, on the balance of probabilities, “did not reflect the substance of the transactions”.
It adds, the evidence is inconclusive as to who came up with the phrase consultancy fees.
The report also finds on the balance of probability that these two invoices relate to the contract arrangements.
These fees were paid, and in a statement issued by the Barter Company, it is noted “Fee agreed by Director General”.
The report notes that the director general stated that this had been “effectively a commercial arrangement that did not work out”, adding “it was decided to pay the invoices to Tubridy’s agent from the Barter account, which was in credit”.
Meanwhile, the report also finds that an exit fee owed to Mr Tubridy under their current presenter contract would be agreed to be foregone.
The report concludes with the finding that RTÉ could have made the two payments of €75,000 by alternative means such as payment from RTÉ to Mr Tubridy’s agent or company.
It also said that, on the balance of probabilities, the Barter account was used because there were available funds in it and that it appeared there was no budget available for the €75,000 payments in year two or three of the agreement.
