RTE in fresh payments scandal as broadcaster names star it mistakenly left out of top ten highest earners

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

"In a statement this evening, RTÉ said: In line with the implementation of the Government's Expert Advisory Committee's recommendations, RTÉ has reconsidered what constitutes a "presenter" for the purposes of compiling the Top Ten Table for 2025. RTÉ has made the decision to consider all personnel holding dual roles (such as producer-presenter, or editor-presenter etc) for inclusion in RTÉ's top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025."

""RTÉ's reconsideration has led to the inclusion of Derek Mooney in the list. He currently undertakes some presenting duties as part of his dual role as producer/presenter and, as such, is included in the Top Ten table." RTÉ added: "For clarity, in 2020 (and up to and including 2024) Derek was designated by RTÉ as a producer, and not as a presenter, in line with his contract of employment.""

"Terence O'Rourke, chair of the board of RTÉ, said: "The Board supports the ongoing commitment by RTÉ to transparency, as evidenced in today's announcement. We acknowledge the scrutiny brought by RTÉ in preparing RTÉ's 2025 Annual Report and fully support the decision to review the previous categorisations of RTÉ's top ten highest-paid presenters.""

RTE faced an embarrassment after failing to include separate producer fees paid to presenter Derek Mooney when calculating the pay of its top ten highest earners from 2020 to 2024. Mooney should have appeared in the 2024 top ten list at number 8 with €197,151 and in 2023 at number 7 with €202,264. Claire Byrne earned €280,000 last year, followed by Patrick Kielty at €266,323 and Miriam O’Callaghan at €244,797. RTE said it reconsidered what counts as a “presenter” for the 2025 Top Ten Table, including personnel with dual roles such as producer-presenter. RTE stated Mooney was previously designated as a producer under his contract, and the board supported the transparency-driven review.

Read at Irish Independent