Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he does not believe RTÉ executives should be forced to hand back their 10% pay rise after the broadcaster was on track to lose €2.8m last year.
The increase in the remuneration of the members of the Management Board took the form of a recovery of the earlier remuneration reduction. The wage restoration came into force in September last year, reports RTE.
Varadkar said it was “very annoying” for the public and RTÉ staff that what was presented as a pay cut only lasted for a year.
However, when asked directly whether the money should be returned, he replied: “I don’t believe so – that really is a matter for the individuals involved,” reports RTE.
Mr Varadkar said the government plays a role in setting pay in its state departments and agencies, but has no role in setting pay in state-owned enterprises such as RTÉ and the ESB.
“What is very annoying for people certainly and for a lot of the rank and file staff in RTÉ is that what had been presented as a pay cut was really only a one-year pay cut, a one-off pay cut,” Mr Varadkar said, reports RTE.
“That has certainly caused a lot of annoyance, particularly for the regular staff in RTÉ who would have thought otherwise,” reports RTE.
However, he added: “We are not going to be – from Government – trying to impose pay cuts on other people. (RTÉ) is a State-owned enterprise and it runs its own affairs,” reports RTE.
Mr Varadkar reiterated that RTÉ must develop a new financial and reform plan.
“Any additional funding this year and next year will be conditional on that,” he said, reports RTE.
Earlier in the week, Mr Varadkar said no additional funding would be provided until the Cabinet of Ministers assesses the broadcaster’s reform plan, which is expected to take place in October.
Mr Varadkar’s comments came as RTÉ confirmed it had written to Media Minister Catherine Martin again last week asking for €34.5m in interim funding, following an earlier request for the same amount made in May.
Speaking to RTÉ Today with Claire Byrne, Labour Party leaver Ivana Bacik said she was shocked and very surprised to hear of a 10% pay cut for top executives last year.
She said: “I think the crucial thing here is to ensure that those who have been paid the least, whose position has been most undermined by RTÉ failing to recognise them as employees, I think it should start there,” reports RTE.
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