Ryan Tubridy ‘can’t shed light’ on RTÉ overpaying presenter by hundreds of thousands-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

‘I’m disappointed to be at the centre of this story,’ the presenter said (Picture: RTÉ One)

Ryan Tubridy has addressed the admission made by Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that he was paid hundreds of thousands more euros than previously declared, saying how ‘disappointed’ he is to ‘be at the centre of this story’.

In a statement released online, RTÉ said that this was ‘a matter of profound regret for the board of RTÉ’, after it emerged that the former host of The Late Late Show received a series of payments above his annual published salary, totalling €345,000 (£296,653).

‘On behalf of the board, I wish to apologise for what has occurred. It is clear that RTÉ has fallen short of the high standards that it sets for itself and are expected of it,’ said RTÉ board chairwoman Siun Ni Raghallaigh.

‘Once these issues came to light, we acted expeditiously to establish the facts and we are confident that the safeguards we have now put in place will ensure that nothing like this will happen again, and that good corporate governance is adhered to at all times.’

In his own statement, the 50-year-old TV personality has expressed his astonishment over the sums detailed in RTÉ’s report after a review.

‘Like many people, I’m surprised by the announcements made in RTÉ’s statement today regarding the errors in the reporting of its accounts,’ he said.

Tubridy presented The Late Late Show for 14 years (Picture: RTÉ/PA)

‘It is unfortunate that these errors are in relation to how RTÉ have reported payments made to me but I just want to be clear: this is a matter for RTÉ and I have no involvement in RTÉ’s internal accounting treatment or RTÉ’s public declarations in connection with such payments.’

He added: ‘Obviously, I’m disappointed to be at the centre of this story but unfortunately, I can’t shed any light on why RTÉ treated these payments in the way that they did, nor can I answer for their mistakes in this regard.’

NK Management, the management company representing Tubridy, added that these matters are the ‘sole responsibility’ of RTÉ.

‘We were made aware today of RTÉ’s statement concerning its accounting treatment and public declarations of payments made to Ryan Tubridy,’ the firm said.

‘These are matters for which RTÉ has sole responsibility and accountability. There is no issue whatsoever in relation to the payments being properly and lawfully due and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Ryan Tubridy or NK Management.

‘These issues are solely concerned with RTÉ’s internal accounting treatment and public declarations in respect of such lawful payments.’

Arts Minister Catherine Martin said that she was ‘extremely concerned’ by the news, sharing that she had spoken to the RTÉ chair and requested a meeting next week to discuss the issue.

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