RTÉ’s highest earner Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly are to be invited before the Public Accounts Committee, the Dáil has been told.
The chairman of the PAC, Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, told the Dáil that invites will be sent out this week and if someone refused to attend, the committee would use powers of compellability.
Speaking during a Dáil debate about developments at RTÉ, TDs raised concerns about the barter account, dubbed a “slush fund”, as well as wider concerns about corporate governance and accounting at the broadcaster.
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster said the barter account should be audited, along with separate credit cards she said were used to pay for “lavish” expenses.
“The 70 or so people who played golf in The K Club with dinner, a drinks reception and prizes after their round of golf, lunch on early arrival and goodie bags – there was no holding back on that do.
“This was around the same time that there were reports that RTÉ was considering the future of LyricFM radio station. All of these events… were fully or partially paid for through that barter account.”
The Media Committee is due to meet on Wednesday to ask further questions of RTÉ board members and executives, as well as former chairwoman of the RTÉ board Moya Doherty.
Earlier, PAC members said they were aware of the “parallels” with the Supreme Court ruling that found that the committee had acted outside its remit in its questioning of Angela Kerins, a former chief executive of rehabilitation organisation Rehab.
Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe told reporters at Leinster House that the exchanges with RTÉ executives and board members had been “respectful but robust”.
“The way we’re operating the committee, we’re doing it in a very fair manner, people have time for breaks, and I think there’s a very fair exchange between people.”
He added: “Based on the advice we have been given, I don’t think there’s any reason why we will not be able to compel any relevant person, whether they are in office or not.”
Mr Stanley added that the committee is “up in the high 90 per cent in terms of almost sure” of its ability to compel witnesses.
Former directors general Dee Forbes and Noel Curran, ex-chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe and current director of content Jim Jennings are also being invited.
Mr Stanley said: “Invites will be sent out this week and I expect all six to attend.
“Their knowledge of what occurred in RTÉ over many years is invaluable. If they refuse to attend, we will use our powers to compel them, but they should do the decent thing as public servants and show up, that’s what they should do, and we call on them to do that.”
