RTÉ publishes Register of External Activities for the second quarter of 2024

RTÉ is today publishing a statistical summary from the Register of External Activities for the second quarter of 2024.

The RTÉ Register of External Activities (‘the Register’) commenced on 01 February 2024 and the publication for Q2 comprises the months April, May and June 2024.

Statistical summary

Total Number of approved activities: 106

Breakdown of activities within each payment band:

• 50%: No Payment/no benefit
• 29%: €1 – €1,000:
• 15%: €1,001 – €5,000
• 6%:    €5,001 – €10,000
• 0%:    Over €10,000

RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst said:  “Today marks the publication of summary details from the Q2 Register of External Activities across the 5 editorial divisions in RTÉ covered by the register. This is in keeping with my commitment to ensure RTÉ provides greater transparency around external activities. It was intended to publish greater detail but as RTÉ outlined with the Q1 publication, the Data Protection Commission was firmly of the view that specific legislative authority is required to publish the level of detail originally intended. It is notable that, once again, half of all approved activities did not involve any payment or benefit. These are events where those working with RTÉ give freely of their time for charitable, sporting, community, academic and social reasons. This register, along with other reforms introduced has marked significant change in RTÉ and I once again want to thank all those, staff and contractors, who have fully co-operated with this process.”

ENDS

Explanatory Note:

RTÉ will not be releasing any further information from the Register of External Activities, beyond that in the statistical summary above.

RTÉ previously detailed the outcome of consultations with the office of the Data Protection Commission (DPC).

RTÉ initially planned to publish summary details in the following format:

• the name of the person who received approval
• a brief description of the activity approved
• the relevant payment band for each activity approved.

The Data Protection Commission has advised RTÉ that in order to publish a public register containing this level of detail, specific legal underpinning in the form of primary or secondary legislation will be required.

The Commission also advised it would invoke its statutory powers, if publication of the kind outlined above was proposed, in the absence of appropriate legislation. RTÉ has written to Department outlining this position and requesting the relevant legislation to allow for the kind of publication originally intended.

In the interim, the DPC has confirmed to RTÉ that it has no objection to the creation and compilation of the Register of External Activities for internal management purposes. Also pending legislation, the DPC has not raised concerns with a proposal from RTÉ to release a statistical summary of information from the Register on a quarterly basis.

It is important to understand the scope of the Register of External Activities in terms of the activities that are included:

• The Register covers the five main editorial divisions of RTÉ: News and Current Affairs, Sport, Content (TV), Radio 1 and Raidío na Gealtachta and RTÉ 2FM/Lyric fm/Gold.

• In each division, a group of senior line managers decides whether to approve or not approve an application to engage in an external activity.

• The core consideration in determining whether or not to approve is centred on RTÉ’s obligation under the broadcasting legislation for impartiality.

• Clearly, the requirements in respect of impartiality are more stringent in the areas of news and current affairs.

• External activities are typically ‘once-off’ activities, such as to MC an event, launching an event or product, speaking at a conference, etc.

• There are people working with RTÉ who have ongoing business interests which may involve a commercial relationship with a particular brand or entity and as part of which the person engages in a range of events/activities throughout the year.

• Individuals who come within this category have a legal and legitimate right to earn an outside income and ongoing commercial arrangements in this category do not necessarily constitute a ‘once-off’ external activity.

• The Q2 Register of External Activities includes summary details of activities approved by line management. The detail gathered includes the name of person granted approval, the relevant RTÉ division, the date of the activity, a brief description of the activity and the relevant band of payment or where appropriate, no payment.

The Register of External Activities is but one part of governance reforms in RTÉ and a separate RTÉ Register of Interests and Gifts Register has also been put in place.

For details: Neil O’Gorman | E: neil.ogorman@rte.ie