RTÉ broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan said she wanted to “put on record” that her recently published charges from RTÉ were correct.
In a statement, Ms O’Callaghan said: “For the purpose of transparency, honesty and clarity, I want to put on the record that my most recently published fee from RTÉ – €263,500 – is correct, as are the published fees for previous years. I have never received additional payments from RTÉ that were not publicly declared,” reports RTE.
Her statement comes as broadcaster Ryan Tubridy received a series of payments totalling €345,000 in addition to his annual published salary between 2017 and 2022.
Ms O’Callaghan said there was deep shock, anger and sadness among everyone working at RTÉ, and all journalists covered the story as strongly as they could.
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“I acknowledge that fee is significant and way beyond what many people could hope to earn. There are others who will, no doubt, have more to say about it I am sure, but my personal decision here this morning is to be open and honest with you,” she said, reports RTE.
Speaking on his Liveline radio show, presenter Joe Duffy also explained his own payments.
Speaking to a caller, Mr Duffy said: “The last figures published for me were €351,000, OK? €300,000 of that is for radio and €51,000 is for whatever they ask me to do on television,” reports RTE.
He said his contract was recently renewed on the same terms and his contract will run until 2025.
Mr Duffy also added that he had not been receiving payments from sponsors.
He said: “I’ve never been offered, never requested, never received, never been involved in any outside, what’s on my contract, the figures that are on my contract are the exact figures that I receive,” reports RTE.
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