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Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Times
RTE loses €58m in licence fees after Ryan Tubridy scandal
RTE has lost more than €58 million in TV licence revenue since the fallout from the Ryan Tubridy payments scandal, according to new figures from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. Government sources have described the decline as 'the real cost of the collapse in public trust' in the national broadcaster with the scale of the loss dwarfing the RTE controversies, including the €2.2 million lost on Toy Show the Musical, the €3.3 million in executive exit packages and the €345,000 in undisclosed payments made to Tubridy. The department's figures compare first-time sales and renewals of TV licenses, which cost €160 a year, from July 2021 to June 2023 with those from July 2023 to June 2025, after the emergence of the Tubridy controversy in mid-2023. Between July 2021 and June 2023, RTE collected €306 million in licence revenue. Over the following two-year period that figure dropped by €58.4 million to €247.6 million. In that time, licence transactions fell by more than 365,000, from 1,912,500 to 1,547,357. An Post, which is responsible for collecting the annual fee, said the revenue fall stemmed from a range of factors but acknowledged: 'The RTE payments issue has also had an impact on TV licence sales and renewals.' A shrinking pool of potential licence holders is contributing to the loss, due to both changing media consumption and rising eligibility for free licences under the Department of Social Protection (DSP). 'An ever-increasing number of people are entitled to a DSP free licence,' An Post said. 'Just under half of the database is now made up of addresses either entitled to free licences or listed as having 'no TV'.' An Post is collaborating with the government's TV licence technical working group to overhaul the licence collection system. As The Sunday Times previously reported, An Post submitted a report in July last year outlining proposed reforms. Among the proposals: commercial premises such as hotels, bookmakers and bars would pay €169.50 for the first 15 screens, and the same amount for every additional five screens. Property owners, rather than tenants or occupiers, would become liable for payment — a change An Post estimates could improve compliance by up to 20 per cent. Patrick O'Donovan, the arts and media minister, is expecting to receive a report in mid-November on reforms and enhancements to the TV licence model from the taskforce; once he has considered it, he will decide next steps. The government's decision to retain the current TV licence system last year proved controversial, particularly as the Future of Media Commission had recommended its abolition and replacement with a new public funding model. Kevin Bakhurst, the RTE director-general, has previously described the TV licence model as 'broken' and warned it was no longer a sustainable source of funding. Despite the overall drop, the latest figures show a modest improvement: from 761,762 transactions between July 2023 and June last year to 785,595 in the following 12 months — a year-on-year increase of 23,833. However, this still represents a sharp fall from the 947,999 transactions recorded in the 12 months leading to June 2023 — a decline of 162,404. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Bakhurst welcomed the recent uptick in payments but stressed the need for long-term stability. 'We remain grateful to the vast majority of the audience who have paid their TV licences and are encouraged by the recent increase in the number paying compared to last year,' he said. 'We have made very significant changes to the way RTE is run and will continue to do everything we can to demonstrate to licence fee payers that for around €3 a week, they are getting great programmes and content across TV, radio and online — and receiving value for money. 'It is incredibly important that we now have multi-annual funding for three years. That allows us to deliver the ambitious strategy, plan programmes and commission them over that period.' Bakhurst also pointed out that the TV licence fee had remained unchanged at €160 since 2008.
Irish Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Arts Council almost doubles legal costs on botched IT project
The Arts Council has almost doubled its spend on legal costs arising from its botched €6.7 million IT project , an Oireachtas committee has heard. The project began in 2018 and was designed to overhaul the Arts Council's system for receiving and processing funding applications with an original budget of €3 million. However, following issues and delays and with the budget increasing as time went on, the project was shelved towards the end of 2023 with an estimated loss of about €5.3 million. Senior staff at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport appeared before the Oireachtas committee on arts on Tuesday. READ MORE Feargal Ó Coigligh, secretary general at the department, told the committee that while a figure of €60,000 was previously given for the costs of legal redress, that has since changed. 'The Arts Council have since informed the department that it is actually approximately €119,000," Mr Ó Coigligh said. The committee was previously told the council had commenced legal proceedings against two contractors for the failed IT system and was in the pre-action stage in relation to two others. This action was taken to try and minimise the cost of the IT system to the taxpayer, the council previously told the committee. [ Former Arts Council director Maureen Kennelly: 'The Minister saw the opportunity for a scalp. I was an easy target' Opens in new window ] The department had asked the council to cease any further expenditure on these legal cases. However, on Friday, the council informed the department of the increased spend. Mr Ó Coigligh told the committee on Tuesday he was 'taken aback' by the upwards revision of legal costs. 'We requested the Arts Council to cease all further expenditure, and we've since entered into discussions with the Attorney General's office for advice,' Mr Ó Coigligh said. When asked if he felt the department was not given the full picture by the Arts Council on the legal costs, Mr Ó Coigligh said: 'I think they could have been more forthcoming on the issue.' The Irish Times previously reported three companies shared €4.8 million between them from the abandoned project. Documents distributed to ministers named the main technology delivery partner, Codec, as having been paid €1,967,278, including VAT, for its work on the project – with €51,217 withheld. A second company, named as Ergo, was paid €2,107,206 including VAT across a series of contracts, several of which were extended during the project. A third firm, named as Expleo, was paid €734,701 including VAT, with another €149,125 withheld by the Arts Council.
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Arts Council wrote to officials almost 60 times over botched IT project without issue being escalated
The Arts Council wrote to officials almost 60 times about a botched €6.75 million IT project without the issue being escalated to a senior level within the Department of Culture , an Oireachtas committee has heard. The Oireachtas arts and media committee was hearing from Arts Council leadership and senior officials in the department on Wednesday. Maureen Kennelly , the director of the council who has announced she is leaving the organisation , said she found her dealings with the department over providing staffing resources for the project 'very disappointing and frustrating'. She told committee chair, Labour TD Alan Kelly, that she felt let down by the experience. READ MORE She said the principal officer she dealt with in the department at the time was 'encouraging and reassuring' when the council updated her about the 'twists and turns' in the saga, which lasted several years and culminated in the abandonment of the project. However, Ms Kennelly said she had 'no idea' the issue wasn't being escalated and it came as a great surprise to her when she found this out. Following Ms Kennelly's contribution, the department's secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh appeared to dispute the number of contacts made with the department, only for Ms Kennelly to reassert that it was 'just short of 60'. Mr Ó Coigligh said it was a failure on behalf of the department that the matter wasn't escalated. 'We were probably being over-supportive rather than challenging,' he told the committee. Department of Culture secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh appearing before the Oireachtas arts and media committee. Photograph: Oireachtas TV Mr Kelly later told the secretary general that the failure to escalate the issue suggested the department was 'totally and utterly dysfunctional'. Mr Ó Coigligh said he did not agree with this. The committee was also told the department has instructed the council to stop spending money on legal cases it has taken seeking to recoup some of the lost investment. The body has initiated legal proceedings against two of the 21 contractors involved in the project, Codec and Expleo, and is in pre-action engagement with another two. The committee was told €60,000 has been spent on these actions so far. However, Mr Ó Coigligh said the department had instructed the council that there should be no further expenditure on the legal cases until a recently-commenced engagement with the Attorney General's office on the matter had concluded. The committee heard that the instruction was given after an appearance at the Public Accounts Committee at the end of last month where the spending was discussed. Mr Ó Coigligh was repeatedly asked by Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn whether the department was supportive of the cases being taken and if any officials had raised concerns about the potential costs of the legal cases. 'What we have said is that the Arts Council should not incur any further costs on legal action' pending the view of the Attorney General, he said. Later, Ms Kennelly said the council had been 'very much' encouraged by senior officials to try to recover money spent on the project. Outgoing Arts Council director Maureen Kennelly at the Oireachtas Arts and Media committee. Photo: Oireachtas TV Sinn Féin TD for Louth Joanna Byrne said Ms Kennelly had been 'thrown under the bus' when she was not offered a new term as Arts Council director. Mr Kelly said she had been offered up as a 'sacrificial lamb' in the wake of the controversy over the IT project, adding that he felt a 'great degree of concern about what has transpired here'. She told the committee that she was disappointed not to be given a second five-year term and would have liked to have stayed on. Asked if she felt Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan had confidence in her, she said her employer was the Arts Council board and she felt she had its confidence and that of her colleagues. Arts Council chair Maura McGrath confirmed that the board had recommended a new five-year term for Ms Kennelly. The council had sought a second term for Ms Kennelly and when that wasn't forthcoming, they asked for the decision to be deferred until a review into the spending controversy was complete. However, the committee was told that, ultimately, Mr O'Donovan offered a nine-month extension which was 'heavily conditioned' in that it would only be in place until a replacement was found. 'I felt it was unacceptable,' Ms Kennelly said.
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Da Nang to target luxury tourism from Dubai's elite
The inaugural Emirates flight to Da Nang received a ceremonial welcome. Sun World Ba Na Hills continually unveiling a diverse range of performances and attractions throughout the year. DA NANG, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire – 10 June 2025 -Emirates, recently named a global leader in aviation by Forbes Travel Guide 2025, is the largest airline in the Middle East with over 4,100 flights each week from Dubai International Airport to more than 140 cities across 80 new direct route to Da Nang is a gateway for billionaires from one of the wealthiest regions on earth to access Vietnam's central coast, carrying immense spending power. It also facilitates the arrival of high-end travellers from Europe and the Americas, as Dubai ranks among the world's busiest international transit to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang, as of April 2025, over 13,000 visitors from Middle Eastern countries had arrived in the city. This figure represents 0.73 percent of total international visitors, with most travellers coming from Iran, Israel and Turkey. With the new Emirates route now in operation, this number is expected to rise sharply, potentially adding trillions of Vietnamese dong in tourism revenue to the local recent years, Da Nang has made notable progress in diversifying into new high-potential markets. With a keen focus on growth, the city is extending its tourism outreach to areas including the Middle East and Central Asia. Charter flights to Da Nang have already launched from several cities, including Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, with seven airlines offering 10 weekly flights from April to October 2025. Centrum-Air Airways is also operating a weekly service from Tashkent, to Tran Chi Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee, the launch of the Emirates Dubai–Da Nang route reduces the travel gap between Da Nang and major global markets such as the Middle East, Europe, North America and Africa. It also helps to strengthen tourism development and opens new avenues for trade, investment, and cultural serve high-end tourists, a destination must offer diverse experiences and premium resorts. Travelers from the Middle East are increasingly seeking new places to explore beyond the typical Southeast Asian favourites like Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. It's a prime opportunity for Da Nang, a city that combines natural beauty with world-class hospitality services, to welcome this affluent May 2025, Da Nang had around 1,290 tourist accommodations, including 111 four and five-star hotels. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Premier Village Danang Resort, Novotel Danang Premier Han River and Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills, along with international brands such as Hyatt, Sheraton and Marriott which are favoured by Middle Eastern city boasts 16 tourist sites, with top destinations like Sun World Ba Na Hills and its iconic Golden Bridge, Da Nang Downtown and Than Tai Mountain Hot Spring Park drawing global attention. Golf tourism is another asset for Da Nang. The city features three international-standard golf courses. Ba Na Hills Golf Club, a masterpiece designed by golf legend Luke Donald and managed by IMG, which lauded as Asia's Best Golf Course five Nang is embracing Halal tourism, to make Middle Eastern guests feel at home. This travel model respects the religious and cultural practices of Muslim travellers, has become a core part to serve this market. Currently, the city has nearly 30 restaurants and eateries offering Halal-certified or Muslim-friendly cuisine. Among them, Halal Indrapura and Bharata Restaurant at Sun World Ba Na Hills, have received official Halal Vu Quynh Anh, Deputy CEO of Sun Group and CEO of Sun Hospitality & Entertainment Group, said:By establishing itself on the Emirates flight map, Da Nang has taken a strategic step forward in tapping into the Middle Eastern tourism market. This new air route is not only a catalyst for tourism growth but also a gateway for expanding trade, investment and cultural cooperation, said Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and #DaNang #Sungroup The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘Arts' dropped from department's title after series of renamings following Coalition shake-up
Arts has been dropped from the name of a Government department as part of series name changes in recent days to reflect a shake-up of their responsibilities following the formation of the new Coalition. The old Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is now known as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. The Tourism and Gaeltacht responsibilities now come under the remit of the, now renamed, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Those functions officially transferred on June 1st. READ MORE Asked about the dropping of the word 'Arts' from the Department's name – and whether this signalled any downgrading of priorities in this area – a spokeswoman said: 'The title Department of Culture, Communications and Sport more succinctly captures the full remit of the Department. 'The word Culture includes the Arts and is a common term used in the title of equivalent Ministries in the EU, noting also that EU Ministers meet at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council.' She also said: 'It should be noted that a previous format of the Department was the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.' The old Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is now known as the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. The Department of Justice is now called the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, reflecting a significant change in function with the responsibility for housing asylum seekers transferring from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth . It is now known as the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. A Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration spokesman said the order changing its title took effect on Thursday. The transfer of functions from the Department of Children took effect on May 1st and 'this included responsibility for all aspects of international protection accommodation, Ukraine accommodation and integration'.
