Minister wants urgent meeting with RTE chair after claims she was ‘misinformed’

Minister for Media Catherine Martin has sought an urgent meeting with the chairwoman of the RTE board, after she said she was “misinformed” over the board’s knowledge of recent exit packages for senior executives.

Ms Martin has written to Siun Ni Raghallaigh, asking to meet her on Friday after the chairwoman repeatedly gave assurances to the minister that the board had no role in signing off the package to a former RTE chief financial officer.

Ms Martin said it has since emerged that the remuneration committee of the board, of which Ms Ni Raghallaigh is a member, approved the package for Richard Collins.

The minister told RTE’s Prime Time that she was “deeply disappointed” in Ms Ni Raghallaigh and refused to express confidence in her ahead of the meeting.

“It was my understanding that the board had no role whatsoever in the approval of these two exit packages. When I met the chair on Monday, I queried this again – was my understanding correct? – and I