Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said that she is committed to making a decision on a future funding model for RTÉ by the summer.During a meeting with members of the RTÉ Board, Ms Martin noted the departure of Dr PJ Mathews from the RTÉ Board after serving on it for ten years.Mr Mathews made the decision due to work commitments. He stepped down on Wednesday.It was the first time Ms Martin met members of the RTÉ Board since its former chair, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, resigned last week.Ms Martin also committed to appointing a new chair and additional members to the RTÉ Board "very shortly".In two separate statements, both the Department of Media and the RTÉ Board described the virtual meeting as "positive".Ms Martin stated that she "expressed her appreciation for the significant commitment which the Board has demonstrated over what has been a very difficult eight months".In its statement, the RTÉ Board said "both the Minister and the Board paid tribute to the work of the former Chair, Siún Ní Raghallaigh".Earlier, Ms Martin defended her position at a hearing of the Oireachtas Committee on Media this week, when she stated that she had been provided with inaccurate information on two occasions in the same week by the former chair of the RTÉ Board regarding exit packages for executives at the broadcaster.Opposition politicians severely criticised Ms Martin in the Dáil.Labour TD Alan Kelly, who is a member of the Public Accounts Committee, said it was not "credible" that Ms Martin's officials did not know about sign-off requirements for RTÉ exit packages.Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty claimed Ms Martin's appearance on RTÉ Prime Time was "... tantamount to a public humiliation of a public servant who has served this State for many years"."What you did in effect was ensure that she Ms Ní Raghallaigh was pushed over the cliff," he added.Tánaiste Micheál Martin has backed Ms Martin, saying that the Cabinet hoped to approve a new chair of the RTÉ Board by next Tuesday.Separately, RTÉ has appointed Mari Hurley as its new Chief Financial Officer.She has previously held the position of CFO in AA Ireland, Premier Lotteries Ireland (operator of the National Lottery), Hostelworld Group plc and Sherry FitzGerald Group. She will take up her new role in summer.RTÉ's former chief financial officer, Richard Collins, left the post last October.The Dáil's Public Accounts Committee will publish its report into RTÉ on Tuesday.It is understood that it will contain at least 20 recommendations, in relation to governance and oversight at the national broadcaster.The committee has so far held four public sessions on the matter and has examined a wide range of documentation.The publication of the PAC's report on Tuesday will mark the end of its current examination of issues at RTÉ, however members have not ruled out holding further public sessions if they feel that it is required.It is over eight months since controversy at the national broadcaster began, following revelations around payments to the broadcaster Ryan Tubridy through its barter account.The PAC's report has been at an advanced stage for sometime, with a draft completed before Christmas.However, its publication was delayed to take account of the recent Grant Thornton review into Toy Show the Musical and the McCann Fitzgerald report into RTÉ's voluntary exit programmes.Committee Chair Brian Stanley has previously indicated that one of its recommendations will be for RTÉ to be brought back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.There's a feeling amongst many on the committee that the substantive issues pertaining to RTÉ have now been dealt with and while more revelations may follow, the PAC believes that the implementation of its recommendations will put RTÉ on a stable footing.The report will not recommend a future funding model for RTÉ, as this is considered to be a matter for the Oireachtas.A copy of the PAC report, which has not yet been circulated, will be sent to the Minister for Media Catherine Martin.Separately, the Oireachtas Media Committee has written to the Department of Media requesting a series of documentation relating to the events leading up to the resignation of the Chair of the RTÉ Board Siún Ní Raghallaigh.Two Government commissioned reports into governance and culture at the national broadcaster are due to be completed at the end of this month.
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