Bakhurst says RTE may have to consider compulsory redundancies in the future

RTE director-general Kevin Bakhurst said that it may have to consider compulsory redundancies “at some point” as the national broadcaster 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 euro.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Media Minister Catherine Martin, Mr Bakhurst said RTE 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 RTE’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 RTE, 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 RTE 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 RTE had approved a presenter to post an ad campaign for ‘butt lift’ ads on their social media.