Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that no request has been made by RTÉ for a “bailout” as he called for a stop to “new revelations every week”.
He made the comments as Ryan Tubridy and agent Noel Kelly were being grilled by the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) about the under-declaration of €345,000 of salary.
During the first few hours of the meeting, both Mr Kelly and Mr Tubridy lamented the fact that the former Late Late Show host’s reputation has been “damaged” over the last number of weeks.
When asked by the Irish Mirror if he was worried of a “witch hunt”, the Taoiseach said that there needs to be full transparency about the situation now following three weeks of confusion.
“The whole drip, drip feed of new information over the period of a number of weeks has done harm to everyone,” Mr Varadkar said.
“The individuals who are connected to this controversy, also RTÉ itself.
“The best thing that can happen now is for all the information to be put out there and put in the public domain this week.
“Let's not have this run for next week and the week after and the one after. Let’s put out all the information there now so that people know what the situation is, know what everyone’s side of the story is.
“Then allow us to move on to the important job of rebuilding our RTÉ. I really want to welcome the very strong start, I think, from the new DG Kevin Bakhurst and the decisions that he made there last couple of days around transparency, around restructuring the executive team. I think that was a very good start.
“This is going to run for more than another week.e The Government has set up a number of reviews and they’re not going to be ready for a few months.
“But what I don't want to see is new revelations every week. We've had them now for three weeks.
“I think people who have information, who have a story to tell, who want to put their side of the story out there, I'd encourage them to do it now. Do it this week.
“Because the ongoing drip, drip of information, allegations, counter allegations, I think it's damaging everyone involved in the round. I think that should stop.”
Mr Varadkar later clarified that he believes that former Director General Dee Forbes should come before Oireachtas Committees when she is well enough to do so.
He also confirmed that RTÉ has not yet asked the Government to provide a bailout and that it will be dealt with if the issue should arise.
The Taoiseach said that everyone knows “RTÉ is in trouble” both financially and reputationally.
“I think the situation is recoverable.
“I think the new DG has made a very good start in terms of changes he has made by standing down the Executive Board, by refreshing the leadership team and by bringing in new rules or conflicts of interests. I think all of that is very encouraging.
“As the Tánaiste [Micheál Martin] said, we need public services service media.
“We need to make sure that the RTÉ that does emerge is a better RTÉ and a stronger RTÉ.
“In terms of the financial picture, we have a long-standing request in from RTÉ for additional interim funding.
“We haven't had a request for a bailout. If that arises, we will have to deal with it then.
“What I would say is that anytime Government has been called on to bail out an entity, whether it was the banks or a sporting body or a State-run enterprise, it never comes without strict conditionality.
“That would be part of it if it were to arise, but we’re not at that point yet.”
The Tánaiste, meanwhile, repeated that all information about the scandal must be released to allow for full transparency.
“Fairness is important, due process is important,” he said.
“As questions get asked, transparency is required and the committees are performing an important function.”
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