Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould has said that the statement issued by the former chairperson of the board of RTÉ Siún Ní Raghallaigh this evening confirms everything we know about Minister Catherine Martin’s disastrous handling of the scandal at RTÉ.

He has said that Siún Ní Raghallaigh is owed an apology by the Minister for the way she was treated.

Teachta Gould said:

“The handling of this entire debacle at RTÉ has been an utter shambles since the start.

“The government have been on the back foot at every turn, particularly Minister Catherine Martin.

“Every time she’s put on the spot she says she’s not responsible; that it’s someone else’s problem. She has been a hands-off Minister at a time of significant crisis for the State’s public broadcaster. It is not good enough.

“She has been behind the curve on every twist and turn in this debacle. The statement of the former RTÉ board Siún Ní Raghallaigh this evening confirms this. Siún Ní Raghallaigh is owed an apology. That should happen without delay.

“We were promised a new era of transparency and openness in how RTÉ does its business and spends taxpayers money, but the government have done nothing to ensure this is the case.

“RTÉ urgently needs to be brought back under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General; as was the case for many, many years; and which we in Sinn Féin have repeatedly called for. This would also have the effect of ensuring the PAC can provide adequate oversight of its finances.

“We must also move to scrap the licence fee, another decision Minister Martin has dithered on. That must happen without delay.”