Veteran radio host Niall Boylan has called for RTE to reveal every deal made with its top stars.
Boylan said that while he thought Ryan Tubridy seemed like a “very nice guy” when he met him on a couple of occasions, he believes the “public's trust is now gone” in the wake of revelations Tubridy was paid €345,000 more than was declared in sponsorship deals over a five year period.
Niall said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, he took a pay cut “like almost every broadcaster in the country in the independent radio sector”.
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He said on Twitter: “I’ve only met Ryan Tubridy on a couple of occasions, and he seems like a very nice guy but (yes there is a but) sadly the public trust is now gone.
“During Covid I took a pay cut like almost every broadcaster in the country in the independent radio sector. I’m not and was never close to the salary Ryan or RTE presenters are on and was never offered a barter (or contra as they call it) deal to make up the loss in wages.
“I went to work every day during Covid when so many sadly lost their jobs or took serious cuts. In RTE’s case this is taxpayers’ money and there must be absolute transparency and the public are entitled to know exactly how much presenters are paid and any sweet contra deals in place to top up a so-called reduced salary.
“Ryan suggesting this is RTE’s problem is avoiding responsibility as he must have been aware this was not on public record as these figures are printed in papers every year.
“At no point did he or RTE come forward to correct the record. As my mother always said, ‘There is only one thing worse than a lie and that’s saying nothing at all’.
“Is Ryan’s apology enough to satisfy the public. If it was independent radio, it’s not their money but with RTE it is their money, so only they can decide to accept the apology.
“RTE must now come clean and release any information on sweet deals in secret either now or the past to any presenters or staff and those responsible for allocating taxpayers’ money in secret underwritten contracts must be responsible,” he added.
