RTE boss says Derek Mooney's reclassification as presenter was not a side deal in fresh payments scandal

"The latest embarrassment for the national broadcaster came about because it did not include separate producer fees paid to presenter when calculating the pay of its top 10 highest earners in previous years, from 2020 to 2024. It means the Mooney Goes Wild presenter should have featured in the 2024 top 10 list, at No 8 on €197,151. Last year he was at No.7, being paid €202,264."

"Revealing that the discrepancy only came to light at RTÉ HQ "in the last three or four weeks", Mr Bahkhurst said he stands by the revised salary lists covering the last five years. "We actually took independent legal advice when the issue arose in the last few weeks about the decision that was taken in 2020 and the legal advice was it was a perfectly justifiable decision, given that Derek's contract is as executive producer.""

""But we take a different view. We think transparency is really important and most people know Derek as a presenter, and I think we'd expect him to be classified as presenter, even though I think the majority of his work is as an executive producer." Asked if the reclassification was a side deal to avoid pay cuts from 2020, Mr Bakhurst said: "No, I don't think it was.""

"In 2021, the RTÉ pay scale dictated that producer roles could earn a maximum amount of €90,000 per year. Mr Mooney was listed last year as earning a total of €202,264, implying that the majority of his salary knowingly came from presenting duties. However, due to the Mr Mooney's "hybrid" role of both presenter and producer between 2020 and 2024, Mr Bakhurst said that his contract covered both r"

RTÉ’s top 10 highest earners calculations from 2020 to 2024 did not include separate producer fees paid to presenters. This omission meant a presenter with a hybrid presenter-producer role should have appeared in the 2024 top 10 list at No. 8 with €197,151, rather than being excluded. The revised figures also changed how roles were classified, including Derek Mooney’s work as both executive producer and presenter. Claire Byrne, who left in 2025, was paid €280,000 last year. RTÉ’s director said independent legal advice supported the 2020 decision, but revised lists were issued to improve transparency. He denied the reclassification was intended to avoid pay cuts.

Read at Irish Independent