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06 Sept 2025

Kevin Bakhurst tight-lipped on Coveney payment in new new statement on RTE exec exits

Rory Coveney resigned from his position in 2023 and received an exit payment

Kevin Bakhurst tight-lipped on Coveney payment in new new statement on RTE exec exits

Kevin Bakhurst tight-lipped on Coveney payment in new new statement on RTE exec exits

Reporter:

Justin Kelly

17 Feb 2024 4:55 PM

RTE Director-General has issued a new statement on the arrangements made around the exits of some of RTE's top executives but stopped short of revealing the amount of money paid to Rory Coveney after his resignation last year.

Bakhurst and RTE have been coming under increasing pressure to reveal the details of exit packages after it emerge former Chief Financial Officer Breda O'Keeffe received a €450,000 upon leaving her role. 

Commenting today, RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst said: “As I have stated already, RTÉ has previously received legal advice that it is restricted from providing details regarding the departures of individuals from RTÉ. This advice was shared with both the PAC and the JOC.

"However, in the interests of transparency, I can clarify matters with regard to the exits of the four executives who departed RTÉ after I started as Director-General, and I am doing so with their agreement," he added.
"Geraldine O’Leary retired from RTÉ, and her role as Director of Commercial, and did not receive an exit payment. Paula Mullooly decided to leave RTÉ, and her role as Director of Legal Affairs, to pursue another opportunity and did not receive an exit payment.
"Rory Coveney and I agreed that it was best that he stand down from his role as Director of Strategy. This enabled the beginning of the restructuring of the leadership team and the suppression of his role. Responsibility for Strategy has passed to Adrian Lynch, with no additional compensation, in addition to his substantive role as Director of Audience, Channels and Marketing. Rory’s role became redundant, an exit payment was offered by RTÉ and accepted by Rory, and with no backfill being made RTÉ will recoup that payment by July of this year.
"Following independent mediation, Richard Collins, RTÉ’s former Chief Financial Officer, departed RTÉ by mutual agreement, with a binding confidentiality clause that was agreed to by both sides and in the interest of fairness and respect cannot be breached
"As I have said before, in relation to all the exits, I have sought an update to the legal advice previously received.”
The statement is unlikely to quell pressure from politicians, particularly the Public Accounts Committee, the chairman of which, Brian Stanley, has requested full details of payments and amounts made to exiting execs, specifically Rory Coveney. 

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