Customers at the Camden Sports Bar in Dublin city center can usually expect a lunchtime sandwich with Wimbledon in the background.
But while tonight’s action on the big screen featured plenty of long rallies, sharp turns and the occasional strike, there was no tennis ball in sight, reports RTE.
Instead, people saw Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly appear before the Public Accounts Committee.
“We just got a lot of enquiries this week to see if we would show it on the big screen. It wouldn’t be a typical big screen event for our business, which is sport. At the moment, that would be Wimbledon or the Tour de France. But we got over 100 enquiries and we just decided to have a little fun and meet customer demand,” explained Linda Monahan, area manager for The Camden and the Murray Pub Group, reports RTE.
In fact, there were probably more photojournalists than PAC fans in the crowd that turned up for an early lunch.
Before half-time, Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne asked Ryan Tubridy: “Do you believe in all of this that you have done anything wrong?”, reports RTE.
Mr Tubridy replied that the only “easonable and fair” way to answer is to say that “I should’ve called out the figures when they were relased all in one day on 20 January 2021. They were wrong, we had requested they change them before dispatches, but that day we didn’t. So yes, I’m not without blame,” reports RTE.
Ryan Tubridy told the committee it was “touch and go” as to whether he would keep his job at RTÉ, adding that he was pleased to see his deal published annually.
He said: “In the event I do keep my job and it’s touch and go for my understanding at the moment. I’d be happy to suggest that in the future we would have situation where you publish my contract on an annual basis, with the money and the salary and earnings there, straight up. If RTÉ are going through a cathartic week, let this be part of it. I will offer that, I have nothing to hide. Put the contract out, put it online. Don’t wait three years and then have all this codology all this time later. So I hope that’s of use to you, but I’m happy to offer that today,” reports RTE.
Noel Kelly told the committee that more people earn more in the commercial sector than RTÉ.
He claimed that RTÉ’s hybrid funding model was “muddies the water” for independent radio.
Ryan Tubridy told Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield that he had been advised to become an independent contractor.
“My skillset does not belong in the world of finance and negotiation”, he said, and so he gets advice from Mr Kelly on this, reports RTE.
Noel Kelly dismissed the idea that he knew the money was coming from RTÉ for the Renault contract and had never heard from anyone at Renault that he was no longer paying.
Ryan Tubridy said they would be refunded if they were not called to the remaining six shows.
Brendan Griffin asks what his role is in influencing guest appearances on The Late Late Show.
“None, that’s editorial,” Noel Kelly said, reports RTE.
Mr Griffin asks: “Have you ever asked in the past to get anyone on the Late Late Show?”
“No, apart from Ryan,” Mr Kelly says, reports RTE.
“Can you see how you might be conflicted”, Mr Griffin asks, “when one client is the presenter and you’ve other clients you represent, some of whom have appeared on the Late Late Show?”, reports RTE.
“It’s guests. Everything else is purely RTÉ editorial,” Mr Kelly says, reports RTE.
Earlier, Sinn Féin’s Imelda Munster asked Kelly if he had seen and “blocked” a guaranteed income by RTÉ.
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin asked about Noel Kelly’s relationship with RTÉ management over the years.
Noel Kelly replied: “It would always be healthy and frank. Its RTÉ’s job to get the best deal they can, its my job to get the best deal I can. Would there be executives afraid of you?” Mr Griffin asked, reports RTE.
Mr Kelly replied: “Sure who would be afraid of me? All 5″6′ of me. And look, over the last two weeks all sorts of pictures are painted, but I’m here to work on behalf of my client,” reports RTE.
Mr Griffin asked: Have you ever threatened to sue RTÉ in the past?
“No,” Mr Kelly said.
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