Latest news with #VoluntaryExitProgramme
The Journal
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
RTÉ paid out €2.7m to Revenue for wrongly claiming Covid wage subsidy scheme
RTÉ PAID OUT €2.7m to Revenue for claiming the Covid wage subsidy scheme when it should have ceased doing so. The national broadcasters' leadership team will appear before Oireachtas Media Committee at around 12.30pm to discuss issues such as a €3.6 million write-down on a partly failed IT system. RTÉ is the first organisation to be invited to appear before the newly formed committee during this Dáil term. Its Director General Kevin Bakhurst will tell the committee that in a 'reflection of higher standards of transparency', RTÉ last year undertook a review of its eligibility for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme that was put in place during the Covid pandemic. RTÉ reviewed the period from 26 March to 31 August 2020, after it was found that RTÉ should have reassessed its eligibility in light of new guidance. RTÉ is of the view that it should have ceased claiming the wage subsidy from 30 June 2020 as it did not meet the criteria for continued participation in the scheme. This repayment for the months of July and August, including interest and penalties, amounted to €2.7m to the Revenue Commissioners. Bakhurst will also remark that RTÉ 'continues to fully engage with the Revenue Commissioners' in relation to a revenue audit which began last year and that it has made payments of €1.1m to date. RTÉ has also been accused of issuing bogus self-employment contracts for workers and it emerged that RTÉ was examining 650 cases where workers who were hired as contractors could have been entitled to employee status. Advertisement Bakhurst will tell the Committee that over 80% of these 655 case reviews have now concluded and that of those looked at so far, 40% were incorrectly categorised at the time as contractors. He will add that the New Direction plan is the best way forward for RTÉ and offers the best value for money and the most effective way that RTÉ can 'remain viable and thrive into the future'. The New Direction plan involves the loss of 400 jobs through a phased Voluntary Exit Programme in order to save money, as well as limiting presenter salaries. The voluntary exit programme has closed and 325 applications were received. Much of it involves enhancing its current offerings, such as the RTÉ Player, while investing in new digital services. Meanwhile, Bakhurst will acknowledge that RTÉ has previously 'made the headlines for all the wrong reasons'. He will assure the Committee that RTÉ has taken a wide range of meaningful actions. This includes a new strategy for 'significant transformation of our working and financial model over the years ahead' and a commitment to a 'smaller, more agile and efficient RTÉ'. Meanwhile Terrance O'Rourke, the Chair of RTÉ, will note that the New Direction Strategy is now subject to quarterly progress oversight by the Board's Strategy Committee. He will add that the Board's remuneration and management development committee now meets on a 'regular schedule' and is 'centrally involved in the approval of presenter contracts'. 'We understand that governance was not what it should have been in the past,' O'Rourke will say in his opening statement, 'and we are committed to ensuring that the national broadcaster is run to the highest standards because that is what our audiences deserve.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
RTE confirms more than 300 applications for voluntary exit programme
RTE has received 325 applications from staff seeking to avail of the broadcaster's voluntary exit programme. In an email to staff on Friday, Director General Kevin Bakhurst confirmed that RTE's Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP) is now closed. In the email, Mr Bakhurst said: "As you know, this VEP comprises a Voluntary Severance (VS) and Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) scheme and was open to employees who will have completed at least two years' continuous service on the date their employment ceases." He said: "Applications will be approved only where a robust business case is made, and it is confirmed that the role can be suppressed or that equivalent savings can be made by suppressing an alternative post and/or redeploying an employee into that role." Confirming the 325 total to have applied, Mr Bakhurst said that "applicants can choose to accept or decline an offer of VS or VER". He said: "Where decisions are straightforward and approved by RTÉ's Leadership Team and the RTÉ Board's Remuneration and Management Committee, we will make every effort to allow these people leave the organisation as early as is practical, without unduly impacting our operations. Mr Bakhurst said: "All applications will go through a five-stage review process throughout the coming months, as previously outlined, with final decisions on all applications being made by the Leadership Team and final oversight by the RTÉ Board's Remuneration and Management Committee." He said that a review of applications has already commenced. He said: "While there may be exceptions, communication of final decisions will commence from 1 September, with exits of successful applicants taking place on 31 October, 30 November and 31 December." RTE opened the scheme on April 23, when it capped redundancy payments at €300,000. Those with five to 10 years of service will receive five weeks of pay per year, and employees working with RTÉ for more than 10 years will get six weeks' pay for every year of service. The payments will be based on an employee's exit salary and they will not qualify for any further redundancy. In a previous email to staff on the VEP, Mr Bakhurst cautioned that while the Department of Public Expenditure has given RTÉ approval to operate a VEP this year, any future scheme could be less financially beneficial than this one. The approval of a redundancy plan at RTÉ by the Government was confirmed on 28 March. The VEP comes as part of a five-year strategy announced in 2023, where the broadcaster outlined a plan to reduce staff numbers by up to 400.
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
RTÉ receives 325 applications for voluntary exit scheme
RTÉ has said that it received 325 applications for its Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP). Staff members who are approved for the scheme will leave the organisation by the end of this year. RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said in an email to staff this evening that the "VEP comprises a Voluntary Severance (VS) and Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) scheme and was open to employees who will have completed at least two years' continuous service on the date their employment ceases". He said that applications will be approved where "it is confirmed that the role can be suppressed or that equivalent savings can be made by suppressing an alternative post and/or redeploying an employee into that role". Applicants will have the choice to accept or decline an offer of VS or VER. Mr Bakhurst said a review of the applications has already commenced. He said the successful applicants will leave RTÉ on 31 October, 30 November or 31 December. The VEP comes as part of a five-year strategy announced in 2023 where the broadcaster outlined a plan to reduce staff numbers by up to 400. To be eligible, employees had to have completed at least two years of continuous service on the date they would leave the organisation under the scheme, with payments capped at €300,000. Staff with between two and five years' of service will receive four weeks of pay per year of service. Those with five to ten years' of service will receive five weeks of pay per year, and employees working with RTÉ for more than ten years will get six weeks' pay for every year of service. The payments will be based on an employee's exit salary and they will not qualify for any further redundancy. In an email to staff when the scheme opened, Mr Bakhurst said that while the Department of Public Expenditure had given RTÉ approval to operate a VEP this year, any future scheme could be less financially beneficial than this one. Senior management were not eligible to apply. The approval of a redundancy plan at RTÉ by the Government was confirmed on 28 March.
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
RTE's €300k lure to cut 400 staff as redundancy plan revealed with weeks to accept mega exit deals or offer gone forever
RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst warned his staff that they have one month to accept a megabucks exit deal — or the offer will disappear. The Director General was briefing employees yesterday on the broadcaster's Voluntary Exit Programme — as they look to offload 400 jobs in the next five years. Advertisement 4 Kevin Bakhurst warned his staff they have one month to accept a megabucks exit deal Credit: PA 4 Staff who work on Fair City fear they will be excluded from RTE's VEP 4 Willie O'Reilly has claimed that the highest earners in RTE are unlikely to apply Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Mr Bakhurst told workers: 'It is important to bear in mind there is no guarantee that the terms offered in Documents seen by The Irish Sun show staff who have been at the national station for two to five years will receive four weeks per year of service under the scheme. Employees who have worked there for five to ten years will be paid five weeks per year. And those with ten years or more service will receive six weeks per year. Advertisement Read more in TV Payouts will be capped at €300,000, but senior management — RTE's Leadership Team — will not be eligible to join the scheme. However, former Today FM boss Willie O'Reilly, who was RTE Group Commercial Director from 2012 to 2017, has claimed that the highest earners in RTE — who they need to get rid of most to save Willie told The Irish Sun: 'There are quite a few managers in RTE on six-figure salaries doing jobs that are worth five figures. 'That's the basic problem — those people won't move, no matter what you do. I know, I tried it. Advertisement Most read in News TV 'You can understand it from their perspective. It's nice getting a cheque, but then you have to go out and look for work. People can get entrenched. 'This is the same old story. Often the people who leave are the ones with other opportunities — they will get a cheque for a hundred grand and then go into independent programming, or they will move house.' Bombshell moment RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst reveals ex-CFO Breda O'Keeffe paid €450k to leave Asked about comments from Mr Bakhurst that the generous payments offered to employees in this scheme will never be repeated, Willie said: 'Every RTE Director General says this deal is the best, and the next one won't be as good. 'That's how you get people to pay attention.' Advertisement The former station exec, who also worked as executive producer of the TRUSTED PLACE WANTED Willie added: 'The real question is, what do we want from RTE? We want a trusted place for home programmes — a commissioning type of place — if the money is going into the independent sector, like Channel 4. I think that's where it's all going.' Mr Bakhurst addressed staff online yesterday to give details on the voluntary redundancy scheme, which opened on Wednesday. The job cuts are required to secure a €20million bailout from the Advertisement This included plans to cut the workforce, limit presenters' salaries and revamp its online offerings. Applications will close on May 23, with final decisions due in September following discussions. STAFF BRIEFING RTE said yesterday: "A central element in RTE's five-year strategy is to transform RTE into a more agile, efficient, modern and more streamlined organisation. 'In briefing RTE staff today, RTE Director-General Kevin Bakhurst stated that, 'at the same time as getting smaller and leaner, we will also make this a great place to work for our staff - investing in training and building a strong and creative culture'. Advertisement "He has also stated that 'in opening the Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP) we can really push on with making RTE a more efficient, more agile and future-proofed organisation which will be able to deliver great programmes to audiences for many years to come'. 'FAIR & OPEN PROCESS' "And that 'we intend to run a fair and open process that delivers value for money for our audiences, but it is important to bear in mind that there is no guarantee that the terms offered in RTE's VEP 2025 will be available in any future RTE VEP'. "Those who leave RTE as part of this VEP are entitled to seek employment in Ireland's independent sector, or seek other opportunities. "RTE will not be commenting on applications or potential applications for this Voluntary Exit Programme which is a confidential process." Advertisement However, one source said staff who work on 4 RTE are looking to offload 400 jobs in the next five years Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin
Extra.ie
24-04-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
RTÉ staff can receive up to €300,000 as voluntary redundancy scheme opens
RTÉ has finally opened its voluntary redundancy scheme, with the upper limit staff can receive set at €300,000. The national broadcaster has been beset by controversies in recent years which ultimately revealed the financially perilous position it was in. The last government refused to sign off on the redundancy scheme until after the election, which will see up to 400 staff members leave the organisation. In a letter to staff yesterday, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said the scheme will be open to employees who have completed 'at least two years continuous service' by the time their employment ends. RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin Applications will close in a month's time. Those with two to five years service will be entitled to four weeks pay per year of service, those with five to 10 years will qualify for five weeks per year, while those with over ten years' service will receive six weeks pay per year. 'While the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform has given RTÉ approval to operate a VEP [Voluntary Exit Programme] this year, any future VEP, if approved, could be less financially beneficial than the one we are opening today,' he said. 'Payments will be capped at €300,000 and senior management will not be eligible to join the scheme. Final decisions on all applications being made by the Leadership Team and final oversight by the RTÉ Board's Remuneration and Management Committee.'
