Acting Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch has clarified that Ryan Tubridy was given a verbal agreement about his radio contract – but continues to remain silent on when the broadcaster might return.
The RTE star continues to be paid while on leave from the station amid the ongoing payments scandal. RTE confirmed he is still being paid but declined to say how much he is being paid.
Mr Lynch told the Oireachtas committee on Wednesday that Tubridy’s radio negotiations had been paused but there was a verbal contract about him continuing host his RTE Radio 1 show before the payments scandal broke.
READ MORE: What exactly Ryan Tubridy said in interviews about his 'pay cut' while secret deal was being done
He said: “In terms of his contract, his contract was for radio and television services that ended at the end of May. There were negotiations going on about a radio contract. Those negotiations as a result of all of this were suspended so currently as we said we are still paying Ryan Tubridy and there are certain elements of the contract that are in dispute with the agent.”
RTÉ’s former Chief Financial Officer Breda O’Keefe also responded to speculation that Ryan Tubridy refused to take a pay cut.
During the hearing, it was questioned: “Did Ryan Tubridy refuse to take a pay cut?”
Former CFO Ms O’Keefe denied Ryan refused to take a pay cut during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, she explained that the presenter and his agent Noel Kelly disagreed with the broadcaster over the proposed level of pay cut.
The proposed level of pay cut was not disclosed.
