Simon Coveney doesn’t know how much brother got as part of exit package from RTE

Simon Coveney doesn’t know how much his brother got as part of an exit package from RTE.

The Cork TD’s sibling Rory had worked as the former Director of Strategy for the broadcaster but resigned last year when Director General Kevin Bakhurst took over.

The golden handshake figure has not been disclosed but it is believed the payment could be upwards of €200,000 based on 2022 figures for executive board members.

The Enterprise Minister also said he has not been involved in any Cabinet discussions involving RTE because of his brother’s role.

Simon Coveney added: “I’m not going to publicly talk about the conversations I have with individual siblings.”

A reporter pressed the Cork TD about his brother’s exit package saying: “You know how much he received, why won’t you tell us.” The Cork TD responded with: “I don’t actually.”

“I’ve made it clear that I’m not participating in discussions in Cabinet on RTE and the various different crises that they’ve been dealing with.

“And I haven’t been making public comments on it either apart from general statements in relation to supporting the need for public service broadcasting in Ireland.”

Rory Coveney

Director General Kevin Bakhurst released a statement on Saturday detailing how a number of executives at RTE left their posts, amid calls for transparency.

It suggested Rory Coveney, a driving force behind the failed Toy Show: The Musical, received a payment worth a year’s salary.

While no figure was given it’s understood the payment could be upwards of €200k based on 2022 figures for executive board members.

Mr Bakhurst said: “Rory’s role became redundant, an exit payment was offered by RTE and accepted by Rory, and with no backfill being made RTE will recoup that payment by July this year.”

It comes as Media Minister Catherine Martin requested RTE boss Bakhurst and the Chair of the RTE Board Siún Ní Raghallaigh to meet with her today.

The decision around the funding of RTE is set to be taken before this summer, Tanaiste Micheal Martin has said.

RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst speaks to the media following a meeting with Media Minister Catherine Martin at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in Dublin on Friday, 25 August, 2023

He added it is “sensible” that the Government awaits two reports ordered by Culture Minister Catherine Martin on the governance of the state broadcaster.

However, he said the TV licence is likely to remain a significant source of revenue for this year and next. Mr Martin told RTEs This Week: “We would hope to get a decision made this year, hopefully before the summer recess.

“But then it’ll take time I would envisage to work that system through and to have it fully up and running.

“There are different perspectives on this. I take a particularly fundamentalist view on the editorial independence piece and the separation of media from being too dependent on any given government support.

“I just think we need to put in guard rails… because the new funding arrangements are not just about RTE, but other stations, local and national and print media too.”

Adrian Lynch, Geraldine O Leary, Richard Collins and Rory Coveney arriving at Leinster House Dublin

Speaking after the Munich Security Council, Mr Martin added: “This is very key to the survival of our democracy. So we’ve got to get it right and we’ve got to get the fundamentals right, how we structure it, and a new funding arrangement.”

Following controversy over the exit terms of four RTE executives Mr Martin said: “Where any organisation has been funded by the public, there should be full transparency in terms of salaries and packages more generally.

“RTE needs to build up trust in respect of how it is governed, its governance and its administration.”

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