Trust “shattered” between public and RTÉ, says Martin

Minister Catherine Martin said that “trust was shattered” between the public and RTÉ in the wake of the payment scandal, and it left people “shocked and outraged.

Martin was grilled by a Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media over the RTÉ scandal, with politicians questioning how RTÉ can go forward.

Martin said she was concerned at “the serious cultural, control and governance issues” at the state broadcaster.

She acknowledged that “a number of positive actions have been taken by the Board and Director General over the past number of weeks”, and said that “comprehensive and far-reaching examinations” were underway.

“In a strange way, the value of public service broadcasting has only been strengthened” in the wake of the scandal, Martin stated.

Fianna Fáil Senator Shane Cassells expressed his disappointment that RTÉ did not put forward an outline of a strategic plan for the broadcaster before next Tuesday’s Budget.

Cassells cited the failure of the Toy Show Musical, claiming that “€2 million was defended here on the basis that, sure we’re supporting the arts.”

“You can call it investing in the arts or you can call it a colossal cock-up, I know what I’d call it, and for them to come in with that attitude, they wouldn’t come in now with that attitude – well I’d hope not.”

Future funding of RTÉ has become a political issue in recent weeks, with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saying that he would need to see signs of “major reform” within the state broadcaster before they received a Government bailout.

RTÉ have requested over €50 million in funding from the Government, after losing more than €20 million in lost licence fee revenue since the RTÉ scandal broke in late June.

Figures from July and August showed a steep decline in people paying the licence fee,