Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Rose Conway-Walsh TD, has insisted there can be no additional funding provided to RTÉ until they show a genuine commit to transparency and accountability following a hearing with RTÉ at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Teachta Conway-Walsh said:

“Today at the Public Accounts Committee it was disappointing to see RTÉ continue to resist attempts to get to the heart of the recent controversy around governance and financial management.

“It is completely inappropriate for RTÉ to continue to avoid accountability while at the same time seeking more public funding.

“I believe in public broadcasting and the importance of RTÉ’s editorial independence. But every organisation that relies on public funding must respond to legitimate questions and information requests. All public funding must come with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

“Despite handing over thousands of pages of documents to PAC, there is still one document that RTÉ refuses to provide, which may provide vital details on how the entire scandal was contrived.

“My Sinn Féin colleague and Chair of the PAC committee, Brian Stanley TD, today informed the new Director General , Mr. Bakhurst, that this is an unacceptable approach and is further damaging RTÉ’s attempts to rebuild trust with the public.

“I support PAC’s move to compel RTÉ to provide this documentation. The government should rule out any additional funding while RTÉ continue to block the important work of the PAC committee.”