RTE has released details of the earnings of it’s ten highest paid presenters in 2022.
Former presenter Ryan Tubridy tops the list for 2022 with stated earnings of €515,000. The second highest was Joe Duffy receiving €351,000 – the top five include Claire Byrne on €321,000 approximately, Miriam O’Callaghan €263,000 and Ray Darcy on €250,000. Brendan O’Connor, the sixth highest paid presenter earned just over €245,000. The top six highest paid broadcasters are all contractors and not employees of RTE. The top paid employee at the station for 2022 was Bryan Dobson with earnings of just under €210,000. Mr Dobson is to retire in April.
Tipperary woman Mary Wilson was the eighth highest paid earner with almost €198,000, Darragh Moloney and George Lee round out the top ten with €185,000 and €180,000 approximately.
RTÉ says the total cost of its highest earning broadcasters represents less than 1% of its total operating costs. The Government is to provide a bailout of €56M to RTE in 2023 and 2024 to address a deficit in it’s finances partially caused by a dramatic drop in sales of TV licenses since financial mismanagement at RTE was revealed last year.