Media

RTÉ says undisclosed settlement with top executive will be ‘reflected’ in accounts

Jim Jennings to leave head of content role at end of month following mediated process with support of Workplace Relations Commission

Jim Jennings was a member of RTÉ's executive board under previous director general Dee Forbes but was not part of Kevin Bakhurst's leadership team. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Jim Jennings was a member of RTÉ's executive board under previous director general Dee Forbes but was not part of Kevin Bakhurst's leadership team. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Martin Wall
Thu Aug 22 2024 - 22:34

RTÉ has not disclosed the details of an exit agreement reached in recent days with one of its top executives but said it will be “reflected” in its accounts to be published next year.

The broadcaster on Thursday said that its director of content Jim Jennings would be leaving the organisation at the end of the month. RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst told staff that the broadcaster had reached an agreement around the terms of the departure of Mr Jennings with the support of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Mr Bakhurst did not reveal the details of any settlement agreement.

A spokesman for Minister for Media Catherine Martin said she “respects this legal process and the confidentiality provisions of these agreements”. A spokeswoman for the RTÉ board said the Minister had not been given the details of the settlement given the confidential nature of the process.

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In June, an Oireachtas committee was told that RTÉ's board had been dealing with a proposal for an exit package to be paid to an unidentified individual that could cost in the region of €400,000. RTÉ told The Irish Times the agreement “will be reflected in RTÉ's 2024 Annual Report which will be published in 2025″.

An RTÉ spokesman said there was no confidentiality clause involved in the agreement with Mr Jennings. However, he said under the principles of the WRC mediation service, the terms of any settlement were not published or disclosed.

Mr Jennings was a member of the top-level executive board of RTÉ under the previous director general, Dee Forbes. The scandal over previously undisclosed payments made to former RTÉ broadcaster Ryan Tubridy broke just as Ms Forbes was about to end her term in the role. Mr Jennings has been on leave for health reasons for some time and did not form part of RTÉ delegations that have appeared before various Oireachtas committees over the last year.

He was not a member of the new leadership team put in place at the broadcaster after Mr Bakhurst took over as director general a year ago.

RTÉ chairman Terence O’Rourke told an Oireachtas committee in June, in response to questions from Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, that a request for an exit package for an individual had come before the board. Mr O’Rourke said he legally could not provide any details. Asked by Mr Griffin if the sum involved could be in excess of €400,000, Mr O’Rourke replied: “I don’t know the number but it could be at that level, yes.”

Asked whether the announcement regarding Mr Jennings was linked to the process disclosed by Mr O’Rourke, the spokesman for RTÉ said: “RTÉ is unable to comment beyond the statement.”

RTÉ later said in a statement: “Full consideration will be given to balancing RTÉ's reporting obligations with the terms agreed with the WRC relating to this settlement.”

[ Little prospect of RTÉ exit package details becoming public, Bakhurst says ]

Mr Bakhurst told an Oireachtas committee in July that he personally did not like “making payouts to people”. However, he said there was an expectation that he would change the senior management team at the broadcaster.

The Department of Tourism, Sport and Media said the RTÉ chairman had informed Ms Martin earlier this week that the process of negotiating an exit package for a senior member of staff had been concluded.

“Given that the matter was mediated through the WRC, the amount and terms of the settlement administered by the WRC mediation process remains confidential. The Minister respects this legal process and the confidentiality provisions of these agreements.”

Mr Jennings has been with RTÉ for almost 40 years, starting as a researcher on radio. He later moved to television and worked as a producer/director. He oversaw the revamp of coverage of the Rose of Tralee in 2006 and edited the Irish language series Léargas. He also became executive producer of The Late Late Show when Mr Tubridy took over as host in 2009.

In addition, he worked as executive producer on special broadcast projects such as the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony in 2003 as well as on general election coverage.

Martin Wall

Martin Wall

Martin Wall is the former Washington Correspondent of The Irish Times. He was previously industry correspondent