Naval journalist pundit on 6.1 emphasises the lack of privacy on the stricken submarine. I’d say the lads are more worried about their heads exploding.
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I’m sure toileting in front of each other hardly helps.
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They’re surely cleared out at this stage
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A toilet on a sub that size seems a bit of a luxury, especially as the expedition was only supposed to be a few hours down and back with a bit of time spent down there.
Apparently the only window was where the toilet was.
It seems to have been a very strangely designed sub.
The toilet is a little box on the floor, with a curtain for modesty.
Calling in accountants instead of the fraud squad is like calling a scientologist when you have a car crash instead of an ambulance
Imagine how much the BBC would have illegally paid him tho?
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Wasn’t that big a scandal.
I think about it every night before I fall asleep.
A great little country. It all makes sense now that he ‘decided’ to step down from TLLS…
RTÉ has issued a statement concerning payments made to Ryan Tubridy which have been the subject of on report by its Audit and Risk Committee.
The broadcaster is in crisis over a wide-ranging investigation into a financial transaction and corporate governance issue during Covid-19, the Irish Independent revealed earlier.
In a statement this afternoon, RTÉ said that in early 2020, discussions commenced concerning the renewal of Mr. Tubridy’s Presenter Contract.
It said: “RTÉ was focused on achieving cost savings due to the wider financial circumstances of the organisation and the commitment given by RTÉ in November 2019 to, among a range of measures, reduce the fees paid to RTÉ’s top 10 most highly paid, on air presenters by 15pc.
"Mr. Tubridy’s previously published remunerations for 2020 and 2021 show that he earned €466,250 and €440,000 respectively across those years, which by 2021 (first full year on new contract) appeared to represent an 11pc reduction on his 2019 earnings.”
The review conducted by Grant Thornton concerned a separate agreement under which Mr. Tubridy was guaranteed by RTÉ an additional annual income of €75,000 which was intended to come from a commercial partner.
In making an agreement with the commercial partner, RTÉ concluded it on a cost neutral basis to the commercial partner, and the fee due to Mr. Tubridy was guaranteed and underwritten by RTÉ.
Accordingly, under the terms of this agreement, a payment of €75,000 was received by Mr. Tubridy in July 2020 from a commercial partner, in exchange for a number of personal appearances a year.
As part of this agreement, RTÉ in turn issued a credit note to the commercial partner thereby reducing the cost to it of its overall sponsorship arrangement with the organisation.
The commercial partner did not renew this agreement for a second year, and since the agreement was guaranteed and underwritten by RTÉ, the payments were instead made directly by RTÉ to Mr. Tubridy’s agent (on his behalf).
Mr Tubridy received two payments of €75,000 (totalling €150,000), each in 2022 (being a payment for 2021 and a payment for 2022). It was these payments that prompted the review by Grant Thornton.
In addition and following the furnishing of the findings of the Grant Thornton review, RTÉ carried out a review of Mr. Tubridy’s previously stated remunerations. Through this review, it was identified that Mr. Tubridy’s remuneration had been understated by RTÉ by a figure of €120,000 over the contract period of 2017-2019. The circumstances that led to this understatement by RTÉ are currently under examination.
Arts Minister Catherine Martin, who is the line minister for RTÉ, has been notified of an issue.
She said today: "I don’t feel it would be appropriate to comment on anything until a statement is issued by RTÉ. I am aware of a potential issue but it would be inappropriate for me to comment.
“I have been made aware of a possible issue. I don’t have the details yet and I think we should await for a statement.
"I have to see if a statement is issued if we get further issues on this and then I will respond appropriately,” she told Independent.ie
RTÉ has declined to comment at this time.
The investigation findings come as RTÉ is in a state of transition, with director general Dee Forbes departing next month. Ms Forbes is currently on leave and had going away drinks with colleagues last Thursday night. She also went around various departments to say her goodbyes.
Her replacement, Kevin Bakhurst, has already been spotted on the Montrose campus.
“Dee Forbes is currently taking annual leave but remains in the role of Director General until the end of her term on Monday 10th of July and remains contactable.
"Kevin has visited RTÉ for some informal meetings in advance of officially taking up the role of Director General on Monday 10th July,” RTÉ said in response to queries on Ms Forbes and Mr Bakhurst.
Mr Bakhurst, who previously held several senior positions at the BBC, is the current group director of UK communications regulator Ofcom. He was previously RTÉ’s managing director of news and current affairs.
The appointment was brought to the Cabinet by Minister Martin and then signed off by senior ministers. Mr Bakhurst was the only name brought forward after an intense and controversial recruitment process.
An Post chief executive David McRedmond had also been tipped for the role, but said that after interviewing, he was not shortlisted and no longer had an interest in the job.
The appointment comes after controversy erupted behind the scenes involving members of the RTÉ board who raised questions over the selection process.
Mr McRedmond, who was also previously chief executive of Virgin Media Ireland, confirmed he had been asked to interview for the position last month, but was no longer interested.
This led to RTÉ chairperson Siún Ní Raghailligh being asked to appear before the Oireachtas Media Committee to discuss the recruitment process.
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Wondered why Forbes wasn’t still going round with the paw out looking for more money
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He should be placed in jail immediately.
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The Saudis could learn a few tricks from these clowns.
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I dunno, I reckon thats pretty big.
Probably an inappropriate idiom given the plight of the submersible but I’d say this is only the tip of the iceberg and we will surely discover more secret payments to other RTE self entitled and self titled “stars”.
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City paying Haaland nearly £900k a week and barely a word about it.
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I think we all agree that they are worth every penny.
Terrific work by Grant Thornton. A great day for our profession (cc @briantinnion, @Appendage).
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Ehhhh?