Louth TD accuses Minister O’Donovan of misleading statement on RTÉ oversight

Louth TD and Sinn Féin spokesperson for Media and Communications, Joanna Byrne TD, has written to the Ceann Comhairle asking that she write to Minister Patrick O’Donovan to have him correct the Dáil record after she claims he incorrectly stated that RTÉ had been put under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office.
 
Deputy Byrne said:
 
“Yesterday, during Minister's Questions I raised the matter of RTÉ and semi-state bodies coming under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office (C&AG).
 
“Sinn Féin has a bill, the ‘Broadcasting (Oversight of RTÉ Accounts) (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Deputy Joanna Byrne)’, to be taken on 22nd May 2025, which would make this happen.  I urged the Minister to support this bill when it comes forward.  His response was ‘We have beaten the Deputy to it because RTÉ has been put under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General’.
 
“At the first meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) just after Minsters Questions, I asked the C&AG Seamus McCarthy directly, quoting Minister O’Donovan, whether RTÉ was now under his remit.  The C&AGs reply was that RTÉ was not under his remit.  He understood that there were some moves to do this, but at this stage he would not be auditing RTE until 2026, if the legislation is moved.
 
“The Clerk of the committee added that he understood that there had been some pre-legislative scrutiny on this matter, however that also shows that RTÉ is not under the remit of the C&AG.
 
“This shows that Minister O’Donovan’s statement was incorrect.  This is why I have asked that the Ceann Comhairle to contact him, and have him correct the Dáil record on this matter.
 
“Sinn Féin’s Bill which would make RTÉ accountable to the C&AG was introduced in the last Dáil term and I will introduce it to this Dáil term on May 22^nd.  The Government has no such legislation written or read into the Dáil.  

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“The Minister was being completely misleading with his statement.  He must withdraw it and correct the Dáil record.
 
“The Celtic Tiger era levels of arrogance and dismissiveness from this government is astounding and I will challenge them on matters like this whenever possible.
 
“Sinn Féin wants to see all semi-state bodies under the remit of the state auditor and I hope the government will support that going forward.  This is seen as international best practice.  
 
“The Government could move to do that today, if it were genuinely interested in ending this constant waste of public money.”