Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said she is confident that if the recommendations in relation to required changes at RTÉ are implemented, they will improve governance at the national broadcaster.Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, she said the recommendations will not only improve governance from an internal and external point of view, "but also ensure that the culture of the organisation reflects what we are seeing in the staff every day in the real values of public service broadcasting".She said the 116 recommendations would set out the path ahead for the organisation.Minister Martin said she was pleased yesterday after meeting the Chair and the Director General that they have agreed to accept the recommendations that refer to them and she said the Government has also agreed to accept the recommendations that relate to it.The Review of Culture and Governance report recommended that RTÉ move to a more sustainable funding model, and that there is a review of legislation covering governance.It also recommended that the Broadcasting Act is amended to appoint the Comptroller and Auditor General to examine RTÉ's accounts, terms of reference are established for the board, and that RTÉ appoints a suitably qualified Group Secretary, Chief Risk Officer and a Head of Compliance.The review was one of three reports into RTÉ published by Minister for Media Catherine Martin yesterday.Two Government-commissioned reports - on governance and culture at RTÉ and on contractor fees and Human Resources - contain 116 recommendations regarding required changes at the national broadcaster.The Government has accepted in principle all 116 recommendations and said RTÉ would be required to prepare an implementation plan within six weeks. The plan will be overseen by a Monitoring Group.The third report by the auditing firm Mazars, examined RTÉ's books and its controversial barter account.That report found that for 2017-2021, RTÉ did not account for the trade credit balances held with media agencies, ranging from €243k at the end of 2017 to €572k in 2021.Mazars found these balances were effectively maintained off-balance sheet during this period.The scope of the audit was to identify and examine all transactions made through the barter account and any other off-balance sheet account from 2017 to 2022.Taoiseach Simon Harris reaffirmed the Government's commitment to decide on a new funding model for public service broadcasting before the Dáil summer recess.He told the Dáil that there were two options on the table and different views on those.Any change to the licence fee would require legislation and he said the Government's current thinking is to have one piece of legislation to cover any changes relating to RTÉ including bringing it back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.Labour leader Ivana Bacik questioned whether this would be possible in the remaining lifetime of the Government.She also raised the "widespread" miscategorisation of RTÉ employees on bogus self employment contracts.Minister Catherine Martin said what is of paramount importance is that a sustainable funding model for public service media is put in place."I suppose it is known that what I have said is that given the impact of the controversy on the TV license revenue - the exchequer option is one that should be considered."There are various opinions at the Cabinet table, but we are absolutely united on taking this decision where consecutive governments have failed before the summer."Regarding the Tánaiste’s comments around changes to RTÉ’s funding model and State dependency, Minister Martin said the exchequer already provided significant funding to public service media."To be clear, I think with all models there is a risk of a level of political involvement, so even the license fee rate as we have now is something that is set by the Government."There are advantages and disadvantages to all models, but I believe that the exchequer model is one that should be considered."Tánaiste Micheál Martin had earlier repeated his view that it is "not healthy for democracy" if changes to RTÉ's funding model meant it has "total dependency on the State".Speaking to RTÉ News at the Arbour Hill commemoration event in Dublin today, the Tánaiste said it was "an important principle that there is separation" between the broadcaster and the State.He said in his view "we've seen in other countries" how "a slippery slope" can develop if this principle is not upheld, resulting in what he described as "eroding democracy".Earlier the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Brian Stanley warned that RTÉ must implement changes quickly and not "kick the can down the road".The highly critical review of governance in RTÉ has blamed weaknesses in risk management and internal controls for the crisis at the broadcaster.The wide-ranging report said these issues "directly contributed" to the failure to detect issues at the organisation.Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Stanley said the public has "grown weary" of hearing about various scandals and poor governance at RTÉ."What we need to see now is the full implementation of the recommendations and the key players at the State broadcaster ensuring that it turns around and faces a new direction," he said.The Sinn Féin TD for Laois-Offaly said the issue of funding needs to be tackled next.Mr Stanley added that any new funding model needs to be brought back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
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