Dee Forbes

In November 2020, RTÉ apologised after several top news presenters and correspondents, including Bryan Dobson, David McCullagh, Miriam O'Callaghan, Eileen Dunne and Paul Cunningham, were photographed at a retirement party at RTÉ headquarters where social distancing was not fully observed. Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the photographs as "very disappointing".[13] A month later, a health and safety review conducted by RTÉ into the gathering found that five breaches of COVID-19 protocols occurred, with up to 40 people present at the time.[14][15][16]

On 22 June 2023, RTÉ noted that it had paid broadcaster Ryan Tubridy €345,000 more than publicly declared between 2017 and 2022, with additional costs of at least €80,000 incurred. The chair of its board said that was a "serious breach of trust with the public",[17] and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin said it was unacceptable that the expected standards of transparency and accountability had not been met.[18] The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the secret nature of payments was a "breach of trust unparalleled in the history of RTÉ" and that RTÉ journalists spoke of how "devastated, ashamed, betrayed and angered" they were.[19][20]

It was revealed the next day that Forbes had been suspended from her employment by the RTÉ Board on 21 June, a day prior to the public emergence of the controversy, which had been under investigation for some time internally. Forbes issued a statement defending her record.[21] Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the failure as a breach of trust and truth between RTÉ and the Government, the Oireachtas and the people.[22] On 26 June 2023, Forbes tendered her resignation with immediate effect. She noted that "As Director General, I led the discussions with the agent for Ryan Tubridy together with other RTÉ senior executives. We were keen to make a cost saving for RTÉ in respect of a contractual payment which was due to be paid. At the same time, we were attempting to retain Ryan Tubridy's services as a valued presenter and negotiate a new contract, with the agreed 15pc cost cutting target in mind." The statement decried Forbes' treatment in the way the matter was addressed.[23][24]

A statement from interim Director General Adrian Lynch on 27 June suggested that only Forbes would have had all the information to be sure that the published income figures for Tubridy were wrong, but also noted that Forbes might not agree with the understanding of the statement.[25] Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the idea that only Forbes had this knowledge as "not credible".[26] RTÉ senior executives were invited to attend meetings of the Oireachtas Media Committee and Public Accounts Committee on 28 and 29 June, convened to question senior executives on the controversy. Forbes declined to attend both meetings citing health reasons and providing a confidential doctor's letter.[27] It emerged at the Oireachtas committee meeting on the 28 June that Forbes was asked to resign on the 16 June, without discussion with the relevant minister. The committee asked why the subsequent resignation was accepted, freeing Forbes from compulsion to attend parliamentary committee meetings, but this was not clarified.[28]