- Film And TV
- 26 Jun 23
RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes resigns amid controversy: "I did not at any stage act contrary to any advice"
Director General Dee Forbes resigns effective immediately following public announcement of her suspension on Friday, meaning she is no longer compelled to sit for the Oireachtas hearings this week.
RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes has resigned with immediate effect following the Ryan Tubridy overpayment controversy.
"As Director General, I am the person ultimately accountable for what happens within the organisation and I take that responsibility seriously," Forbes said in a statement released today.
Dee Forbes has issued a statement tendering her resignation from RTÉ - read it in full here https://t.co/eN5WqxjKTV
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) June 26, 2023
The statement gave further details into Forbes' role in the various payments and third party agreement negotiated concerning Tubridy.
"As Director General, I led the discussions with the agent for Ryan Tubridy together with other RTÉ senior executives. We were keen to make a cost saving for RTÉ in respect of a contractual payment which was due to be paid," the statement continued.
"I did not at any stage act contrary to any advice," she added.
Forbes had previously been invited alongside other top RTÉ executives to answer questions before two Oireachtas committees this week.
According to Sinn Féin TD member Imelda Munster, who sits on both committees, Forbes is no longer obligated to appear: "She could actually volunteer to attend the committee in the interest of transparency and accountability,” she told Morning Ireland today.
Forbes has not yet announced if she will attend the sessions, stating that "the Board has not treated me with anything approaching the levels of fairness, equity and respect that anyone should expect as an employee, a colleague or a person. All of this has had a very serious and ongoing impact on my health and wellbeing."
Forbes was suspended by the board on the Wednesday, though the announcement was not made public until Friday, the board citing legal concerns.
Turbidy was replaced by Oliver Callan on Friday morning with no indication from the network when or if he will return. He stepped down from The Late Late Show in March to host the Ryan Tubridy show on RTÉ Radio.
RELATED
- Film And TV
- 09 Jun 25
Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer announces show at 3Olympia Theatre
- Film And TV
- 06 Jun 25
Northern Irish actor Louis McCartney nominated for Tony Award
- Film And TV
- 05 Jun 25
Aidan Gillen to star in new RTÉ/BBC crime drama Tall Tales & Murder
RELATED
- Film And TV
- 29 May 25
More than 450 items from David Lynch's personal memorabilia go on auction
- Film And TV
- 29 May 25
David Keenan documentary to have Irish premiere at Docs Ireland in Belfast
- Film And TV
- 23 May 25
Exclusive: Benicio del Toro and Michael Cera on The Phoenician Scheme
- Film And TV
- 10 May 25
The Shows Must Go On: The Best TV To Watch This Month
- Film And TV
- 01 May 25