RTÉ Board

The Board was established as the Radio Éireann Authority under the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960. It later became the RTÉ Authority. The Authority was actually the legal entity known as Raidio Teilifís Éireann and the body which had legal responsibility to run the services authorised under the Broadcasting Authority Acts 1960–2002 but actual management of the services was delegated to the Director General and the staff of the Authority, and all these together comprised RTÉ. The Authority met monthly and acted as RTÉ's board of directors, making general policy and overseeing the operations of RTÉ on a non-executive basis. The RTÉ Authority was appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The RTÉ Executive reported to the Authority via the Director General.

Under the Broadcasting Act 2009, the RTÉ Authority was succeeded by the RTÉ Board. Having been self-regulating, it lost the regulatory function to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (itself succeeded by Coimisiún na Meán in 2023). The final RTÉ Authority was appointed on 24 February 2009 on a six-month interim basis, pending the coming into operation of the Act.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0224/114403-rteauthority/|title=Minister announces new RTÉ Authority|publisher=RTÉ News and Current Affairs|date=24 February 2009|access-date=22 July 2020}}

The new Board of RTÉ and the four nominees of the Joint Committee with responsibility for broadcasting for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland members were to be appointed in early 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/title-1387-en.html|title=Oireachtas Communications Committee Ratifies New Members of RTÉ Board and Broadcasting Authority of Ireland|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas|access-date=22 July 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009064802/http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/title-1387-en.html|archive-date=9 October 2012}} by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The RTÉ Executive would now report to the board.{{cite web|url=http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Major+changes+heralded+in+broadcasting+as+new+laws+enacted.htm|title=Major changes heralded in broadcasting as new laws enacted|publisher=Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources|date=15 July 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720074418/http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press%2BReleases/Major%2Bchanges%2Bheralded%2Bin%2Bbroadcasting%2Bas%2Bnew%2Blaws%2Benacted.htm|archive-date=20 July 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQfnyu6JGs4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/YQfnyu6JGs4 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Broadcasting Act 2009|publisher=Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources|date=15 July 2009|access-date=22 July 2009|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

In November 2022 Moya Doherty completed her term as chair of the RTÉ board, and Siún Ní Raghallaigh was appointed as the new chairperson.{{Cite news |title=New chair of RTÉ board appointed by Government |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/new-chair-of-rte-board-appointed-by-government-42181708.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |newspaper=Irish Independent |date=29 November 2022 |language=en}}

Over the course of the summer of 2023 RTÉ's governance under Moya Doherty's term as Chair and Dee Forbes term as Director General would come under scrutiny. Starting with the admission in June 2023, that RTÉ paid its top presenter Ryan Tubridy €345,000 more than publicly declared between 2017 and 2022.{{cite news |last=Goodbody |first=Will |date=22 June 2023 |title=RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/0622/1390614-rte/ |access-date=22 June 2023 |publisher=RTÉ News}}{{Cite web |date=22 June 2023 |title=Statement by the RTÉ Board – June 22, 2023 |url=https://about.rte.ie/2023/06/22/statement-by-the-rte-board-june-22-2023/ |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=rte.ie}}

This led to the suspension of outgoing Director General Dee Forbes{{cite web |last1=Burnhill |first1=Eleanor |date=23 June 2023 |title=Minister made aware of Forbes suspension yesterday |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0623/1390707-rte/ |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=RTÉ.ie |language=en}} (and board member) and her resignation on 26 June 2023.{{cite news |date=26 June 2023 |title=RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes resigns amid payments controversy |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0626/1391116-rte-undisclosed-payments/ |access-date=26 June 2023 |publisher=RTÉ News}} It would also lead to the resignation of the Chair (Siún Ní Raghallaigh) when on 22 February 2024 Minister Catherine Martin was unable to answer if she had confidence in the Chair in a live interview on RTÉ's Prime Time current affairs show, in the early hours of the next day Ms. Ní Raghalliaigh resigned.

Adrian Lynch, Director of Channels & Marketing, was appointed to the position of Deputy Director General;{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Killian |date=22 June 2023 |title=RTÉ appoints new deputy director general |url=https://www.businesspost.ie/news/rte-appoints-new-deputy-director-general/ |access-date=24 June 2023 |website=The Sunday Business Post}} he also assumed the role of interim Director General following the suspension and resignation of Forbes and prior to the arrival of Kevin Bakhurst into that role in July 2023.

Other resignations occur during this time but no board member was asked to resign, though some politicians and pundits did call for the Minister to seek the resignation of board members.

Ian Kehoe did not ask for a second term, his term ended in 2023 after 5 years on the board, Connor Murphy stepped down from the board in 2023 also, having joined in March 2020. Robert Shortt moved from the board when he took up the position of Company Secretary with RTÉ in 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-journalist-quits-newsroom-role-to-become-the-state-broadcasters-company-secretary/a661111878.html|title=RTÉ journalist quits newsroom role to become the State broadcaster’s company secretary|publisher=Irish Independent|first=Mark|last=Tighe|date=3 February 2024|access-date=22 February 2024}}

PJ Mathews resigned on 1 March 2024, citing work commitments he had severed on the board for nearly a decade and was due to finish his term in November 2024.{{Cite web |last=O'Hare |first=Eoin |date=1 March 2024 |title=RTÉ board member PJ Mathews resigns |url=https://www.businesspost.ie/news/rte-board-member-pj-mathews-resigns-citing-work-commitments/ |website=Business Post}}

Terence O'Rourke was appointed as Chair on 5 March 2024, along with two new board members Neasa Hardiman and Terri Maloney,{{Cite web |date=5 March 2024 |title=Appointment of Chair and members to RTÉ Board |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/8fb50-appointment-of-chair-and-members-to-rte-board/ |access-date=5 March 2024 |website=Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Irish Government Website}} on 20 March 2024 the final 2 positions were filled by Shirley Bradshaw, as Staff Representative, and Noreen O'Kelly{{Cite web |date=20 March 2024 |title=New members appointed to RTÉ and TG4 boards |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/new-members-appointed-to-rte-and-tg4-boards-1604326.html |access-date=20 March 2024 |website=breakingnews.ie}}

The Board sets out strategy, policy and other goals for the RTÉ Executive who then directs the organisation and works to preserve RTÉ's editorial independence.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/media/2023/06/26/how-rte-is-structured-director-general-combines-roles-of-chief-executive-and-editor-in-chief-and-reports-to-board/|title=RTÉ pay controversy: how the national broadcaster is structured|publisher=The Irish Times|first=Colm|last=Keena|date=26 June 2023|access-date=8 July 2023}} It has an audit and risk committee and a remuneration committee, which are authorised to seek any information they require relevant to their terms of reference.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2023/06/29/who-were-the-rte-board-members-and-executives-who-appeared-before-public-accounts-committee/|title=Who were the RTÉ board members and executives who appeared before Public Accounts Committee?|first=Shauna|last=Bowers|publisher=The Irish Times|date=29 June 2023|access-date=8 July 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://thecurrency.news/articles/122429/rte-pay-committee-chair-moya-doherty-didnt-attend-remuneration-meetings-for-almost-four-years/|title=RTÉ pay committee chair, Moya Doherty, didn’t attend remuneration meetings for almost four years|work=The Currency|first=Sean|last=Keyes|date=4 July 2023|access-date=8 July 2023}}

It consists of up to twelve members – six nominated by the Minister, four nominated by the Minister on the advice of the Oireachtas Joint Committee with responsibility for broadcasting, one worker director and the Director General.{{Cite web |title=Board of Radio Telefís Éireann |url=https://membership.stateboards.ie/en/board/Radio%20Telef%C3%ADs%20%C3%89ireann/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=State Boards (Ireland)}}

As of March 2024, there were twelve members. Six sourced via the Public Appointments Service, four nominated by the relevant Oireachtas committee, the current chief officer and a staff representative.

class="wikitable sortable" !Name !Role !Term start !Term end !Notes

Terence O’Rourke |Chairperson |5 March 2024 |5 March 2029 |

Kevin Bakhurst |Director General (ex-officio) |10 July 2023 |10 July 2028 |

Anne O'Leary {{small|(second term)}} |Chair of Board's Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) |4 November 2014 |28 November 2024 |

Shirley Bradshaw |Staff Representative |20 March 2024 |20 March 2029 |

Daire Hickie | |13 July 2021 |12 July 2026 |

Susan Ahern |Chair of RTÉ's Audience Council |13 July 2021 |12 July 2026 |

David Harvey | |13 July 2021 |12 July 2026 |

Jonathan Ruane | |3 March 2022 |12 July 2026 |

Aideen Howard | |29 November 2022 |28 November 2027 |

Terri Moloney | |5 March 2024 |5 March 2029 |

Dr Neasa Hardiman | |5 March 2024 |5 March 2029 |

Noreen O'Kerry | |20 March 2024 |20 March 2029 |

{{reflist}}

{{Raidió Teilifís Éireann}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rte Board}}

Category:Communications authorities

Category:Organizations established in 2009

Category:2009 establishments in Ireland

Category:Raidió Teilifís Éireann