Taoiseach says Government won't defend RTE spending 230,000 on limousines for presenters and others

Since 2021, RTÉ has spent €230,000 on limousine rides for celebrities, dignitaries, and presenters. Sinn Féin raised concerns that nearly a quarter of a million euro in licence fee revenues was used for luxury transport such as Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series. The spending was criticized as ostentatious, occurring while people were struggling and while RTÉ was bailed out with a €725 million promise of prudent, moderate investment. The Taoiseach said legislation will place RTÉ under the aegis of the Public Accounts Committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General to create a mechanism for accountability. He said it remains RTÉ’s responsibility to account for the limousine spending and that the Government does not defend excessive or unnecessary expenditure.

"The Irish Independent today revealed that since 2021 the State broadcaster has splashed out €230,000 on limo rides for celebrities, dignitaries, and presenters. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the spending of nearly a quarter of a million euro in licence fee revenues on the hire of limousines. She told the Taoiseach: "This isn't to be confused with your common-or-garden taxis.""

""They've spent hundreds of thousands of additional money on limousines for dignitaries, celebrities and presenters. Can you tell me, Taoiseach, what's going on here?" "Can you tell me how it is appropriate in any way that this type of money is blown on luxury limos, Mercedes 5 class, BMW 7-series, that type of transport?""

"This was a kind of ostentatious expenditure that was taking place "at a time where we know everybody is struggling," she said. It had also happened "at a time when RTE was bailed out - and the promise of that €725 million bailout was that there would be prudent, appropriate, and moderate investment and expenditure.""

"The Taoiseach responded that the Government had brought forward legislation to ensure that RTÉ comes under the aegis of the Public Accounts Committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General. "That will give us and the Oireachtas here a specific mechanism to hold RT&E to account for the type of expenditure that you've just described," he said. But the Taoiseach added: "It is a matter for RTÉ to account for that (limousine spending). The Government doesn't run RT&E.""

Read at Irish Independent