RTÉ is set to get one of its biggest audiences of the year so far today but it’s not one they might have wished for.
Presenter Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly will go before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions about €345,000 worth of undisclosed payments made by RTÉ to the former Late Late Show host.
Viewers will be glued to their TV sets and radios to hear live coverage of proceedings.
It is understood that both men will bring legal representation to the committee hearings but, under the rules, they will be sitting behind the witnesses rather than beside them.
The new RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said yesterday that he hoped to see maximum transparency during the committee’s proceedings, ahead of a decision being taken about Mr Tubridy’s future with the organisation.
The Public Accounts Committee identified seven areas it wanted to investigate and gave the pair advanced warnings by letter last week.
They included payments dating back to 2017, the deal with Renault, the raising of associated invoices, any instructions given to Mr Kelly by Mr Tubridy, and the video call between former director general Dee Forbes and Mr Kelly when the Renault deal was underwritten by RTÉ.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Mr Bakhurst was non-committal when asked about Mr Tubridy’s future with the station.
He said: “We’ll have to see how the week goes … and we’ll have to take a decision on that soon, for everyone’s sake and for Ryan’s sake.”
Meanwhile, RTÉ estimated that if the Toy Show The Musical sold out its entire run of 54 shows, then it would deliver a profit of €4.1m.
The business assumption is contained in new documents supplied by RTÉ to the PAC.
