Presenters’ pay and licence fee drop outlined in RTE’s annual report

RTE stars were paid up to 351,000 euros last year, according to the broadcaster’s annual report.

Joe Duffy, who retired from RTE in June, received 351,000 euros in 2024 through a company listed as Claddaghgreen Ltd, Claire Byrne earned 280,000 euros via Derrough Media Ltd and Pamanco Ireland Ltd was paid 257,657 euros for the services of Patrick Kielty.

Other names in the top 10 highest paid presenters include Miriam O’Callaghan, Brendan O’Connor and Ray D’Arcy, who left RTE earlier this month.

The salaries of the organisation’s top executives were also published in the report, with director general Kevin Bakhurst listed as receiving 250,000 euros.

The report was published on Wednesday after it was presented to cabinet that morning.

It also detailed how a severance payment with a total cost of 475,000 euros including a contribution to legal fees was agreed with a former member of the executive board.

Speaking on Radio One’s News at One programme the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan said he would be raising the issue of that payment with RTE’s chairperson on November 6.

He added he would have preferred to meet the chairperson before the report was published, but media speculation over recent days meant he wanted to bring it before the Oireachtas “as soon as possible”.

The report also showed how RTE’s income from the licence fees dropped by four million euros in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Mr O’Donovan said it was “too early to say” if there has been any recovery in licence fee payments in 2025.

He called on listeners to pay their licence fee saying the importance of public sector broadcasting can be seen in programmes like The Traitors and RTE’s coverage of the Olympics and Euro 2024.

He added: “This is a public service that needs to be funded.

“And people who own a television need to put their hand in their pocket and pay for for the television licence.”

RTE has been hit by a number of financial scandals since 2023 which has resulted in the resignation of a director general, Dee Forbes, and the departure from the station of presenter Ryan Tubridy.

The 2024 report shows the organisation returned to profitability last year, reporting a before-tax surplus of 5.3 million euros, compared to a deficit of 10.3 million euros in 2023.

However the organisation did receive additional public funding of 48 million euros.

Mr O’Donovan also said there are a number of “legacy issues” that “need to be aired” including a number of pension payments, an acre of land on the Montrose campus and the ownership of an artwork he said was worth “in the region of 100,000 euro”.