Northern Ireland

Broadcasting companies under the spotlight include RTÉ and host Ryan Tubridy

Ryan Tubridy received hidden payments of €345,000 (£295,000) from RTÉ
Ryan Tubridy received hidden payments of €345,000 (£295,000) from RTÉ

The details about Stephen Nolan and his main company come at a time when the Republic's state broadcaster and one of its biggest names remain under a public spotlight.

While Nolan is Northern Ireland's highest-paid broadcaster, his counterpart in the Republic in terms of earnings is Ryan Tubridy.

And the pay packet of RTÉ's highest paid presenter has been engulfed in controversy in recent weeks after it emerged he had received hidden payments of €345,000 (£295,000).

It came in addition to his published salary between 2017 and 2022.

The former Late Late Show host said he was surprised to learn of errors in the broadcaster’s public statement about payments it had made to him.

It also later emerged that Tubridy, a radio and television host, was given a guarantee that there would be no further pay cuts requested over the five years of the contract.

This came despite pay cuts being implemented among staff across the company.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of Mr Nolan or Mr Tubridy but the remuneration packages they receive have already attracted criticism.

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Tubridy still being paid by RTE, but will not be on air next week

Tubridy continued to appear on a weekday radio programme after stepping down from the flagship television show earlier this year, but was taken off air for “editorial reasons” in the wake of the scandal involving misstated payments.

RTÉ has been left reeling since the revelations with the controversy leading to its director general Dee Forbes quitting.

The furore has since widened amid further disclosures about RTÉ’s internal financial, accounting and governance practices.

Other controversies include the news that three 'barter accounts' were in existence despite an assurance by Richard Collins, chief financial officer, that only one existed.

Details of transactions going through the barter account included €5,000 on flip flops for a client summer party, €4,200 for Soho House membership and thousands more on entertainment.

The ongoing controversy has raised huge questions about governance and accountability at RTÉ and led to calls for major reform of the public service broadcaster.