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Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Gareth O'Callaghan: It's been two years since Tubridy was thrown to the lions. Is it time for RTÉ to ask him back?
'Until someone is prepared to lay out the systemic problem, we will simply go through cycles of finding corruption, finding a scapegoat, eliminating the scapegoat, and relaxing until we find the next scandal.' I'm not a fan of American politician Newt Gingrich; but as I read these words of his, I'm reminded of where I was this week two years ago when Ryan Tubridy's stellar career as Ireland's leading broadcaster started to come apart in what was a bolt out of the blue. Barely a month before, a day ahead of his final Late Late Show, he told fans: 'Tomorrow night is going to be a night of endings for sure, but beginnings for definite.' In hindsight, some might have called his words prophetic, others foreboding; but it seems certain he knew nothing about what was careering down the tracks. It would take a long hot summer before RTÉ's director general Kevin Bakhurst finally announced on August 18 that Tubridy would not be returning to his radio show, after a two-month controversy that became the most damaging crisis the broadcaster has ever faced in its almost 100-year history. It was an inglorious sacking, painfully drawn out, and made worse the previous month by the performances of some politicians on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) with their humiliation of Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly during live Oireachtas TV sessions, the first of which had more than nine million minutes of online viewing. No doubt it's a date that's etched forever in his memory, the day his career slipped from his grip and his life changed — Tuesday, July 11, 2023, when he was thrown to the lions in Leinster House, a place that's not always known for its moral compass. For the first time in its history, this online streaming channel, which most viewers to the event had never heard of, had bigger audiences than the annual Toy Show. Pubs across the country showed the televised meetings on their big screens, while clips from earlier sessions were viewed millions of times on TikTok. 'This is my first rodeo being in the public eye,' Tubridy told PAC that day. 'My name has been desperately sullied, I think my reputation has been sullied.' Strong words not used lightly, which led this writer to suspect he was being scapegoated as a result of a gargantuan cover-up — one that, it turned out, had been simmering for years. No doubt Tuesday, July 11, 2023, is a date that's etched forever in Ryan Tubridy's memory, the day his career slipped from his grip and his life changed. File photo: Oireachtas TV In the words of American diplomat Madeleine Albright, 'the cover-up, more than the initial wrongdoing, is what is most likely to bring you down.' And it did, royally. It was a scandal waiting to happen, and it was allowed to happen, not just by successive RTÉ managements, but by governments who ignored the warning signs for years. Looking back at the cast of characters who testified at the hearings, the only one thrown under the bus was Tubridy. That tells its own story. It wasn't until Grant Thornton's report was published in August two years ago that the facts became clear amidst all the convoluted evidence divulged by both sides. But by then, one man's reputation had been badly harmed. It found that RTÉ had intentionally understated Tubridy's annual salary by €120,000 across the three years from 2017-2019 by driving down payments made to him to under €500,000. In total, Tubridy was overpaid by €345,000. This conclusion cleared him of blame, which appeared at one point to be piled high and deep against him. RTÉ essentially disregarded its own payroll system so as to undervalue Tubridy's salary. Payroll software at the broadcaster clearly showed he was paid more than the €500,000 over each of the three years. According to the report, Tubridy was also entitled to a €120,000 bonus, which he chose to waive. Hindsight can be merciless. What remains foremost in public memory two years later is the side deal with Renault, which RTÉ footed the bill for. Pubs across the country showed the televised meetings on their big screens from Oireachtas TV of RTE's star presenter Ryan Tubridy. File photo: Oireachtas TV In 2020, Tubridy was paid by RTÉ in a sponsorship deal brokered by him, his agent and the broadcaster worth €225,000, in return for taking part in three corporate events for the car dealer, of which only one took place. He hasn't repaid the outstanding €150,000. Last weekend, media minister Patrick O'Donovan encouraged Tubridy to hand back the money, 'so we can move on from it,' he said. Ryan Tubridy has clearly moved on from it. He now lives in London, recently got engaged, and carving out a career for himself in radio, having been left with little choice but to leave the country, censured as the poster boy of a scandal he didn't cause. He became the fall guy as accountancy practices that had been going on for years in RTÉ finally became public. Was there any need for the public humiliation and the verbal flogging that Ryan Tubridy was subjected to two years ago? Did it serve any purpose, apart from dividing a national audience? If anything, it laid bare the banjaxed business model of RTÉ. The station posted a €9.1million loss in 2023 when its licence revenue took a massive hit as a result of the scandal, which it likely will never recover from. Its business model has never worked, so how can it hope to be self-sufficient? Government handouts are RTÉ's only hope of surviving, but for how long more? I suspect Kevin Bakhurst is keeping a close eye on the BBC, whose charter comes up for renewal in two years; when the network will have to prove its fitness in negotiations in order to take on the next 10 years of public service broadcasting. RTÉ has always fancied itself as a BBC-type replica with the additional benefit of commercial revenue income. BBC's charter comprises a trio of core objectives: the pursuit of truth with no agenda, an emphasis on its native culture and storytelling, and a mission to bring people together – not unlike RTÉ. But has RTÉ not failed in two of these objectives in the light of what happened two years ago? RTÉ has a serious public service broadcasting remit, which is becoming more and more difficult to commit to in the modern climate of content-rich competitors with very deep pockets. In television land, new content is king. Repeating old programmes in order to fill a television schedule is one sure way to drive away viewers. It's difficult not to feel a sense of fatalism about RTÉ's future. Its treatment of a presenter who is still loved the length and breadth of Ireland, along with its handling of the payment scandal, was a devastating error of judgement. RTÉ's director general said there was a 'moral' case for Tubridy to return the money. Considering the scandal was of their own making, with disclosures of indefensible accounting and governance practices, and a propensity for decades of lavish corporate hospitality, RTÉ should be careful about highlighting what they regard as other people's morals. Ryan Tubridy at the official launch of Joe Duffy's autobiography 'Just Joe' in Dublin in 2011. File photo: Gareth Chaney Collins Grant Thornton's report absolved Ryan Tubridy of any blame. Whether he should return the remainder of the private sponsorship fee he received is a matter for him to decide. Unfortunately, the role that one individual found himself unwittingly cast into as the controversy unfolded two years ago, and how that role was sensationalised to the point where he was unjustly made out to be the villain, continues to overshadow the reality of a much greater scandal in which many of those responsible will never be punished. Two years on, the least RTÉ could do is offer Ryan Tubridy his job back. Maybe then, in the minister's own words, we can move on from it. Read More Gareth O'Callaghan: Unanswered questions haunt Philip Cairns case decades later


The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Nathan Carter ‘devastated' as he leads tributes to ‘beautiful' mum-of-two following sudden death
NATHAN Carter has led heartfelt tributes following the sudden death of a mum-of-two who has been remembered as "a beautiful person inside and out". Christine O'Gorman, originally from Bulgaden in Co Advertisement 3 Christine O'Gorman sadly passed away 'unexpectedly at home' Credit: 3 Nathan Carter paid tribute to Christine Credit: Getty Images - Getty 3 The talented photographer was married to musician John Byrne Credit: Facebook/@JohnByrn Band The talented photographer was married to musician, composer and arranger John Byrne. Byrne has worked alongside many music legends including He's also a long-time collaborator of country star The singer posted an emotional message where he described the mum-of-two as "lovely" and "talented". Advertisement READ MORE ON NATHAN CARTER He wrote: "Deepest sympathies to our friend & work colleague John Byrne, his children Aaron & Caelainn & all of their extended family on the very sudden passing of their beloved Christine. "I had the pleasure of working with Christine in the past. She was a lovely person and an extremely talented photographer. "Myself, band & crew are devastated to hear of this heartbreaking news and our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. May Christine R.I.P." Christine's untimely death has left her loved ones heartbroken with many tributes pouring in for the Offaly-based photographer. Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN A close friend said: "My deepest condolences to John, Aaron, Caelainn, Pat and Anne; your family and friends on the sad passing of Christine. In school Christine was kind, considerate and a person of wonderful abilities. May she rest in peace." Another added: "Sincere condolences to John, Aaron, Caelainn, Christine's family and all who knew and loved her. I've such fond memories of Christine in school and after, always up for a chat and a laugh. You're in our thoughts x." RTE Late Late Show viewers all praise Toy Show star as he returns with 'brilliant' performance alongside Nathan Carter A third tribute read: "Oh Anne and family I'm so very sorry to hear such sad news, Christine was a beautiful person inside and out my her very gentle soul rest in peace." A fourth wrote: "So, so sorry to hear the passing of Christine . A beautiful young girl taken way to soon. Our deepest sympathy to Ann, Dave, Pat, and to all Christine's extended family. May she rest in eternal peace - Aidan & Shirley Fitzgerald Kilfinane." Advertisement Another added: "So sad to hear the news of Christine's passing. What a beautiful woman gone too soon. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this time x." 'GONE TOO SOON' Christine will repose at her home on Sunday from 2pm until 6pm. Her removal will take place on Monday morning at 10.30am to St. Colman's Church in Mucklagh, with Funeral Mass at 11am. Following the mass, she will be brough to Newlands Cross Crematorium in Advertisement Christine will be sadly missed and always remembered by her heartbroken family, husband John, children Aaron and Caelainn, parents Pat and Anne, stepparent's Dave (Lawlor) and Sarah. She is also deeply mourned by her sister Rachael, brothers Darren, Cian, Kristian and Joshua, sisters in law Margaret, Jamie and Holly, her aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, relatives and many many friends.


North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Brendan Gleeson does not regret Micheal Martin ‘moron' outburst
The Hollywood star said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' after witnessing 'unacceptable' treatment at a hospital. Gleeson, who is now supporting a major fundraising effort for a hospice in north Dublin, said profit incentives in care for older people are 'counterproductive'. On the Late Late Show in 2006, he criticised the state of the Irish health service and, in particular, his experiences with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Taoiseach Mr Martin had opened a unit at the hospital during his time as minister for health. During the 2006 interview, Gleeson said: 'There were people trying to fight for life and cling on to hope beside people who were dead and this moron's name was on a plaque saying the oncology suite was opened by Micheal Martin, when he screwed the place from the time he went in until the time he left.' Asked about the comments on Wednesday, Gleeson said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' and that he was 'raging' with Mr Martin. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'In fairness to Micheal Martin, I was raging with him because his name was on a plaque in a new unit and they were running coffins down the bottom of my mother-in-law's bed where she was dying – the systems were catastrophic.' The Oscar-nominated Banshees Of Inisherin star said he was 'glad' he highlighted the problems but now thinks a constructive and compassionate approach is more appropriate. 'The vociferous nature of it was fine, but I did find afterwards it became a thing then where everybody is screaming, shouting and enraged and all this kind of stuff,' he said. 'I feel I had reason – and it was my younger self and I'm glad I did it – I think it needed to be drawn attention to, but how many times does it need to be drawn attention to and how constructive is that 19 years on?' Gleeson says he now has a glass-half-full approach, describing 'reactionary outragers' as 'boring'. A source of that optimistic outlook is found at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, where the actor says staff and volunteers treat people with compassion. Gleeson is supporting a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at the centre, where both his parents received care. The 70-year-old said the single-bed units at the hospice will be beneficial for families as he recalled it sometimes being difficult to speak to his father when he was passing away in the four-bed units. Reflecting on the tone of public debate, he said it is very difficult for people to maintain positivity in the world now because they are 'bombarded' with relentless bad news. 'The despair is beginning to become pervasive,' he said, adding: 'But here, there's a chance to show gratitude, compassion and build – brick by brick – something that is extraordinarily positive in the face of grief and bereavement.' Gleeson said that over the years, Mr Martin had 'learned from mistakes' and taken stances which he considered to be 'quite brave'. He said certain things have improved in the intervening 19 years but remained critical of the 'ideological issue' of running aspects of care through the private sector. He said: 'We're spending a fortune in this country on healthcare – but the systems are terrible.' Gleeson said he did not necessarily agree with an entirely state-run service either as it can lead to a lack of dynamism. He said: 'But I don't think that driving things for profit solves problems of compassion.' He added: 'Let's have a proper discussion, not outage. We know what's wrong, let's have constructive ways – literally – of finding a way forward. 'I've had it with moaning about it and absolutely screaming about things.' Recently, RTE broadcast undercover reporting from two privately-run nursing homes which showed vulnerable people being left unsupervised, large amounts of residents congregated together being supervised by one member of staff, and requests for the use of toilets being unanswered for lengthy periods of time. In contrast with that footage, Gleeson said: 'The difference between what we saw in that documentary and what happens here is all you need to know. 'This costs a lot of money, fundraising, volunteer and local effort – but this is a happy place even with all the sadness that is involved in it. 'A nursing home is a place of diminishing horizons at its best – it feels like that going in. 'If you go into the right environment, it becomes a new chapter and there's a possibility where older people – and I'm not that far off it myself – where you can go and actually find kindred spirits.' Gleeson said he disagrees with the 'care for profit' approach: 'The two are counterproductive in my opinion.' While acknowledging that he did not have the answers for the challenge of running nursing homes, he said the approach should be about compassion, understanding, and appropriate availability of staff. Backing the 20 million euro 'buy a brick' campaign for the hospice, he said: 'I know how much of a game changer this new facility will be for the entire community of North Dublin.' The new unit will enable staff to care for an extra 3,000 patients over the next 25 years – and the fundraiser invites people to contribute to the build by buying a brick for between 25 and 250 euro and leaving their name or message on a virtual community support wall. He said the new unit would be a 'beacon of hope' and a 'centre of excellence', adding that the approach of the hospice is one of the best standards rather than cost-cutting. Last year, St Francis Hospice cared for 2,313 patients at its two facilities in Blanchardstown and Raheny – almost double that of a decade earlier. Construction at the new site is due to begin next year and will also include an underground car park and clinical support facilities, with a pedestrian bridge linking it to the existing building. Those who wish to contribute can visit or contact the fundraising department at 01-8327535.


South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Brendan Gleeson does not regret Micheal Martin ‘moron' outburst
The Hollywood star said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' after witnessing 'unacceptable' treatment at a hospital. Gleeson, who is now supporting a major fundraising effort for a hospice in north Dublin, said profit incentives in care for older people are 'counterproductive'. On the Late Late Show in 2006, he criticised the state of the Irish health service and, in particular, his experiences with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Taoiseach Mr Martin had opened a unit at the hospital during his time as minister for health. During the 2006 interview, Gleeson said: 'There were people trying to fight for life and cling on to hope beside people who were dead and this moron's name was on a plaque saying the oncology suite was opened by Micheal Martin, when he screwed the place from the time he went in until the time he left.' Asked about the comments on Wednesday, Gleeson said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' and that he was 'raging' with Mr Martin. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'In fairness to Micheal Martin, I was raging with him because his name was on a plaque in a new unit and they were running coffins down the bottom of my mother-in-law's bed where she was dying – the systems were catastrophic.' The Oscar-nominated Banshees Of Inisherin star said he was 'glad' he highlighted the problems but now thinks a constructive and compassionate approach is more appropriate. 'The vociferous nature of it was fine, but I did find afterwards it became a thing then where everybody is screaming, shouting and enraged and all this kind of stuff,' he said. 'I feel I had reason – and it was my younger self and I'm glad I did it – I think it needed to be drawn attention to, but how many times does it need to be drawn attention to and how constructive is that 19 years on?' Gleeson says he now has a glass-half-full approach, describing 'reactionary outragers' as 'boring'. A source of that optimistic outlook is found at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, where the actor says staff and volunteers treat people with compassion. Gleeson is supporting a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at the centre, where both his parents received care. The 70-year-old said the single-bed units at the hospice will be beneficial for families as he recalled it sometimes being difficult to speak to his father when he was passing away in the four-bed units. Reflecting on the tone of public debate, he said it is very difficult for people to maintain positivity in the world now because they are 'bombarded' with relentless bad news. 'The despair is beginning to become pervasive,' he said, adding: 'But here, there's a chance to show gratitude, compassion and build – brick by brick – something that is extraordinarily positive in the face of grief and bereavement.' Gleeson said that over the years, Mr Martin had 'learned from mistakes' and taken stances which he considered to be 'quite brave'. He said certain things have improved in the intervening 19 years but remained critical of the 'ideological issue' of running aspects of care through the private sector. He said: 'We're spending a fortune in this country on healthcare – but the systems are terrible.' Gleeson said he did not necessarily agree with an entirely state-run service either as it can lead to a lack of dynamism. He said: 'But I don't think that driving things for profit solves problems of compassion.' He added: 'Let's have a proper discussion, not outage. We know what's wrong, let's have constructive ways – literally – of finding a way forward. 'I've had it with moaning about it and absolutely screaming about things.' Recently, RTE broadcast undercover reporting from two privately-run nursing homes which showed vulnerable people being left unsupervised, large amounts of residents congregated together being supervised by one member of staff, and requests for the use of toilets being unanswered for lengthy periods of time. In contrast with that footage, Gleeson said: 'The difference between what we saw in that documentary and what happens here is all you need to know. 'This costs a lot of money, fundraising, volunteer and local effort – but this is a happy place even with all the sadness that is involved in it. 'A nursing home is a place of diminishing horizons at its best – it feels like that going in. 'If you go into the right environment, it becomes a new chapter and there's a possibility where older people – and I'm not that far off it myself – where you can go and actually find kindred spirits.' Gleeson said he disagrees with the 'care for profit' approach: 'The two are counterproductive in my opinion.' While acknowledging that he did not have the answers for the challenge of running nursing homes, he said the approach should be about compassion, understanding, and appropriate availability of staff. Backing the 20 million euro 'buy a brick' campaign for the hospice, he said: 'I know how much of a game changer this new facility will be for the entire community of North Dublin.' The new unit will enable staff to care for an extra 3,000 patients over the next 25 years – and the fundraiser invites people to contribute to the build by buying a brick for between 25 and 250 euro and leaving their name or message on a virtual community support wall. He said the new unit would be a 'beacon of hope' and a 'centre of excellence', adding that the approach of the hospice is one of the best standards rather than cost-cutting. Last year, St Francis Hospice cared for 2,313 patients at its two facilities in Blanchardstown and Raheny – almost double that of a decade earlier. Construction at the new site is due to begin next year and will also include an underground car park and clinical support facilities, with a pedestrian bridge linking it to the existing building. Those who wish to contribute can visit or contact the fundraising department at 01-8327535.

The Journal
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Brendan Gleeson does not regret calling Micheál Martin a 'moron' over the health service
BRENDAN GLEESON HAS said he had a reason to call Micheál Martin a 'moron' almost 20 years ago, but added he now prefers a more constructive approach. The Irish actor said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' after witnessing 'unacceptable' treatment at a hospital. Gleeson, who is now supporting a major fundraising effort for a hospice in north Dublin, said profit incentives in care for older people are 'counterproductive'. During an appearance on the Late Late Show in 2006, he criticised the state of the health service and, in particular, his experiences with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Martin, who was the Minister for Health from 2000 to 2004, had opened a unit at the hospital. Brendan Gleeson's healthcare rant on the Late Late is nearly 17 years old, has anything changed? (17th March 2006) — KM2 archive (@KillianM2) December 19, 2022 During the interview, Gleeson said: 'There were people trying to fight for life and cling on to hope beside people who were dead and this moron's name was on a plaque saying the oncology suite was opened by Micheál Martin, when he screwed the place from the time he went in until the time he left.' Asked about the comments today, Gleeson said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' and that he was 'raging' with Martin. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'In fairness to Micheál Martin, I was raging with him because his name was on a plaque in a new unit and they were running coffins down the bottom of my mother-in-law's bed where she was dying – the systems were catastrophic.' The Oscar-nominated Banshees Of Inisherin star said he was 'glad' he highlighted the problems, but now thinks a constructive and compassionate approach is more appropriate. 'The vociferous nature of it was fine, but I did find afterwards it became a thing then where everybody is screaming, shouting and enraged and all this kind of stuff,' he said. 'I feel I had reason – and it was my younger self and I'm glad I did it – I think it needed to be drawn attention to, but how many times does it need to be drawn attention to and how constructive is that 19 years on?' Gleeson says he now has a glass-half-full approach, describing 'reactionary outragers' as 'boring'. Hospice campaign A source of that optimistic outlook is found at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, where the actor says staff and volunteers treat people with compassion. Gleeson is supporting a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at the centre, where both his parents received care. The 70-year-old said the single-bed units at the hospice will be beneficial for families as he recalled it sometimes being difficult to speak to his father when he was passing away in the four-bed units. Brendan Gleeson is supporting St Francis Hospice's new 'buy a brick' campaign. Conor McCabe / MediaConsult Conor McCabe / MediaConsult / MediaConsult Reflecting on the tone of public debate, he said it is very difficult for people to maintain positivity in the world now because they are 'bombarded' with relentless bad news. 'The despair is beginning to become pervasive,' he said, adding: 'But here, there's a chance to show gratitude, compassion and build – brick by brick – something that is extraordinarily positive in the face of grief and bereavement.' Advertisement Gleeson said that over the years, Martin had 'learned from mistakes' and taken stances which he considered to be 'quite brave'. He said certain things have improved in the intervening 19 years but remained critical of the 'ideological issue' of running aspects of care through the private sector. He said: 'We're spending a fortune in this country on healthcare – but the systems are terrible.' Gleeson said he did not necessarily agree with an entirely state-run service either as it can lead to a lack of dynamism. He said: 'But I don't think that driving things for profit solves problems of compassion.' 'Proper discussion' He added: 'Let's have a proper discussion, not outage. We know what's wrong, let's have constructive ways – literally – of finding a way forward. 'I've had it with moaning about it and absolutely screaming about things.' Recently, RTÉ broadcast undercover reporting from two privately-run nursing homes which showed vulnerable people being left unsupervised, large amounts of residents congregated together being supervised by one member of staff, and requests for the use of toilets being unanswered for lengthy periods of time. In contrast with that footage, Gleeson said: 'The difference between what we saw in that documentary and what happens here is all you need to know. 'This costs a lot of money, fundraising, volunteer and local effort – but this is a happy place even with all the sadness that is involved in it. 'A nursing home is a place of diminishing horizons at its best – it feels like that going in. 'If you go into the right environment, it becomes a new chapter and there's a possibility where older people – and I'm not that far off it myself – where you can go and actually find kindred spirits.' Gleeson said he disagrees with the 'care for profit' approach: 'The two are counterproductive in my opinion.' While acknowledging that he did not have the answers for the challenge of running nursing homes, he said the approach should be about compassion, understanding, and appropriate availability of staff. Backing the €20 million 'buy a brick' campaign for the hospice, he said: 'I know how much of a game changer this new facility will be for the entire community of North Dublin.' The new unit will enable staff to care for an extra 3,000 patients over the next 25 years – and the fundraiser invites people to contribute to the build by buying a brick for between €25 and €250 and leaving their name or message on a virtual community support wall. He said the new unit would be a 'beacon of hope' and a 'centre of excellence', adding that the approach of the hospice is one of the best standards rather than cost-cutting. Last year, St Francis Hospice cared for 2,313 patients at its two facilities in Blanchardstown and Raheny – almost double that of a decade earlier. Construction at the new site is due to begin next year and will also include an underground car park and clinical support facilities, with a pedestrian bridge linking it to the existing building. Those who wish to contribute can visit St Francis Hospice's website .