RTÉ in Crisis

Catherine Martin’s senior officials knew of exit package rules last October

Catherine Martin’s senior officials were told in October that the RTÉ board’s remuneration committee had to sign off on exit packages

Catherine Martin said she did not know the board had, through its remuneration committee, signed off on the exit package for Richard Collins, RTÉ’s former chief financial officer, until reading media reports last weekend

Three of Catherine Martin’s most senior officials were explicitly told in October that RTÉ’s board and its chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh were required to sign off on exit packages at the broadcaster, the Business Post can reveal.

The revelation directly contradicts the media minister’s claims that she was unaware of Ní Raghallaigh’s role in approving severance packages until last week. It is likely to ratchet up the pressure on Martin to explain her handling of ...