Statement RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst

Commenting today, RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst said:

“As I have stated already, RTÉ has previously received legal advice that it is restricted from providing details regarding the departures of individuals from RTÉ. This advice was shared with both the PAC and the JOC.

However, in the interests of transparency, I can clarify matters with regard to the exits of the four executives who departed RTÉ after I started as Director-General, and I am doing so with their agreement.

Geraldine O’Leary retired from RTÉ, and her role as Director of Commercial, and did not receive an exit payment. Paula Mullooly decided to leave RTÉ, and her role as Director of Legal Affairs, to pursue another opportunity and did not receive an exit payment.

Rory Coveney and I agreed that it was best that he stand down from his role as Director of Strategy. This enabled the beginning of the restructuring of the leadership team and the suppression of his role. Responsibility for Strategy has passed to Adrian Lynch, with no additional compensation, in addition to his substantive role as Director of Audience, Channels and Marketing. Rory’s role became redundant, an exit payment was offered by RTÉ and accepted by Rory, and with no backfill being made RTÉ will recoup that payment by July of this year.

Following independent mediation, Richard Collins, RTÉ’s former Chief Financial Officer, departed RTÉ by mutual agreement, with a binding confidentiality clause that was agreed to by both sides and in the interest of fairness and respect cannot be breached

As I have said before, in relation to all the exits,  I have sought an update to the legal advice previously received.”