RTE pay scandal: Taoiseach reacts to Dee Forbes resignation and Ryan Tubriday payments

Leo Varadkar has joined Micheal Martin in calling on resigned RTE chief, Dee Forbes, to come before Dail committees to face questions over the Ryan Tubridy secret pay scandal.

This means that the two most powerful men in Irish politics, the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, have both now directly intervened to call for accountability at the highest level in RTE.

Mr Varadkar was speaking to reporters on the wings of the Government’s neutrality conference in Dublin Castle this morning.

The Taoiseach was reacting to the shock resignation of RTE Director General, Ms Forbes, on Monday ahead of her expected appearance at the Oireachtas Committee on Media on Wednesday followed by the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, about the Ryan Tubridy secret payments controversy that continues to rumble on.

Mr Varadkar said: “I heard this morning that Dee Forbes has resigned as DG (Director General) of RTE.

“I still think though that she should come before the Oireachtas committee.

“She issued a very strong statement and I think people would like to see her side of the story, her side of events.

“It is still open to her to attend committee hearings and I think she should.”
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[tomgreene]

The PAC should set an example about transparency in politics - including their expenses.

[ViewViews]

In case anyone should forget RTÉ is there to provide services to the general public and not the other way around! There is far too much focus on RTÉ staff and far too little consideration of the fact that it is for public use that RTÉ should even exit at all!!!

[brianfitzpatrick]

All public sector brothers in arms, not Forbes or tubridy will be held to the same standard of the normal tax paying citizen

[chrstopherbrown]

Rte is important because the lie about everything they never say anything bad against government

[brightrose]

Double speak. Does the left side of his mouth know what the right side is saying.