RYAN Tubridy has reportedly denied he is out of contract with RTÉ following the scandal over payments to the former Late Late Show presenter.
In a statement to the Today with Claire Byrne show on RTÉ Radio 1, the broadcaster said radio contract negotiations with Mr Tubridy were currently on hold.
RTÉ has apologised over the scandal, in which undisclosed payments amounting to €345,000 were made to Mr Tubridy between 2017 and 2022.
It is understood RTÉ had been negotiating the renewal of Mr Tubridy's contract for radio presenting after the star's 2020 TV contract lapsed, but a spokesperson for the RTÉ Board said talks have been "paused".
A statement said the previous contract for TV presenting had "come to an end".
However, the Irish Times newspaper reported on Wednesday that Mr Tubridy has rejected the claim.
They reported that a source close to the presenter said he was disputing RTÉ's claim and is seeking legal advice over his contract.
The newspaper said the source claims Mr Tubridy "does not accept" that the contract in question had been terminated.
The source said: "There is precedent for contracts of this nature that they are amended to reflect the fact the TV element of the contract is coming to an end – and that a value is assigned to TV and to radio and that a new figure is agreed going forward."
RTE's interim deputy director general told the Oireachtas Media Committee on Wednesday that Mr Tunbridy is "currently in contract".
"The contract that he was on in terms of providing TV services as well as radio, finished on May 31, and there was a process to renegotiate the radio-only contract, which at the moment is suspended," he said.
Mr Lynch confirmed that Mr Tubridy is still being paid while off air.
Read more: RTÉ: 'Profound regret' over Ryan Tubridy misreported payments scandal
Read more: RTE executives must offer full transparency at committee hearing, members warn
