€600k-a-year Gerry Ryan refuses to join RTé pay freeze

Gerry Ryan: 'bullshit'

Ken Sweeney

Entertainment Editor

Broadcaster Gerry Ryan has said he will refuse to take a pay freeze in order to help RTÉ cut costs next year.

An RTÉ spokesperson was reported last week as claiming that Ryan was among a number of station presenters who would be approached about a pay freeze which would contribute to the state broadcaster saving €66m on its budget next year.

However, asked by the Sunday Tribune this weekend about such a freeze, Ryan said: "No. Absolutely not. Nobody has spoken to me about taking a cut in salary. I know the argument is, you're meant to be showing leadership, but that is not the solution. It's completely fallacious to say that Pat Kenny should give back the money from The Late Late Show and everything will be okay. That's just absolute bullshit. That is not the solution. Likewise it's not the solution for Bus Éireann to give back their buses."

Among those reported to be in favour of the RTÉ pay freeze is Derek Mooney, who was quoted as saying he would not be against the idea "once it is fair and across the board," while Miriam O'Callaghan was reported to have said it would "only be fair" that presenters take a pay freeze or cuts similar to everyone else.

Senior management in RTÉ have agreed to pay cuts of 17.5% while 360 middle managers were also being asked to take reductions to offset a drop in advertising revenue at the station.

Asked what his reaction would be if colleagues like Kenny agreed to a similar pay freeze, Ryan said: "I would take their temper-ature. Derek Mooney is a staff member. He won't be limiting any pay. He's not a contract presenter so Derek Mooney has a negotiated deal which is part-union based, so I can't imagine Derek Mooney will be giving up on anything.

"I do not believe that any union is going to reduce the pay of their workers in this organisation. What do I think of Joe Duffy or Pat Kenny taking a cut? I don't believe any of this has happened. I believe that this is a story being stoked up. I wasn't approached about a pay freeze and I don't believe this report either. I'm sure my colleagues would have talked to me about this. I see Joe Duffy every day and I'm sure he would have mentioned it. I have heard nothing. I think this story is completely made up."

Last year, Ryan signed a new deal with the station said to be worth in excess of €600,000 a year for the next five years.

November 9, 2008

Comments

#1 Kathleen Browne commented, on November 9, 2008 at 3:15 p.m.:

Gerry Ryan should be charged a hefty fee to be allowed on air at all, not paid for the rubbishy job he is doing. He is a gutter-quality presenter and is not good for this country.

#2 Paddy commented, on November 9, 2008 at 5:13 p.m.:

Did anyone seriously think the FAT cats like Ryan would take a cut. No one believes in the tooth fairy!

#3 Shark Trager commented, on November 9, 2008 at 11:55 p.m.:

RTE should rid themselves of Ryan and his over-paid ilk and give talent with a chance at a fraction of the cost to licence holders. Ryan can take his chances in the dog-eat-dog world of commercial radio. As a put upon licence holder I am sick to death of the bloated salaries being paid to lowest common denominator entertainers/programmes on RTE.
RTE has been, for a number of years, squandering shed loads of cash on buying US TV series they have no intention of ever showing so that TV3 cannot buy them! I would rather flush the €160 down the toilet than give it to that shower of incompetents out in Donnybrook...

#4 Finn commented, on November 10, 2008 at 10:28 a.m.:

Bus Eireann's buses are on the roads to provide a public service. The wages of RTE presenters are paid for their own delectation. You cannot correlate Bus Eireann's buses with the wages of RTE presenters. That's a poor analogy and speaks volumes about Ryan's attitude and the strength of his case.

#5 Jay Fitzgerald commented, on November 10, 2008 at 10:38 a.m.:

Gerry: as per usual true to form. A complete and total nincompoop.
We wouldn't miss him, RTE y'know.

#6 Gary commented, on November 10, 2008 at 2:39 p.m.:

Gerry and other highly paid members of RTE staff should not be immune to the current economic climate. Many people in all walks of life are losing their jobs or being forced to accept big pay reductions, if he can't accept this then RTE should get rid of him.

#7 Mary P commented, on November 11, 2008 at 8:59 a.m.:

Gerry Ryan's salary is funded by you, the licence payer. While you, the licence payer, suffer in this harsh economic climate, Mr Ryan is putting two fingers up to you by not even acknowledging there are stringent times ahead. His job should not be considered untouchable.

#8 John commented, on November 12, 2008 at 9:55 a.m.:

RTÉ plays into the hands of these so-called stars by framing its whole schedule around them. The individuals in question are hardly to blame for milking that for all it's worth.
Why, on a public service broadcasting channel, do we have programmes named after celebrities... Ryan, Finucane, Kenny, Tubridy, etc? It's not as if these offerings are individual productions, and their presenters aren't that special.

#9 Stewart McGiver commented, on November 12, 2008 at 3 p.m.:

RTE has been useless for the past 25 years! You only need look at the "home-grown" so-called entertainment produced in Ireland. In a word: rubbish. Gerry Ryan getting €600,000 a year is just another example of the lunatics taking over the asylum. Instead of paying pointless no-brain idiots like Ryan, try bringing back the RTE local services such as Cork Local Radio etc. Stevey B., Alf McCarthy, Gerry McLoughlin.... NOW THERES talent that RTE just flushed away in a "cost-saving excercise"! RTE management? No such thing!

#10 SEAMUS commented, on November 13, 2008 at 9:31 a.m.:

I agree with all the comments so far. G Ryan and P Kenny are over-rated and over-paid.
They are past their sell by date; we need fresh new and exciting presenters.
RTE is like a graveyard with dead, useless presenters.
If they don't like pay cuts then there is always the P45.

#11 Joe "Mug" Public commented, on November 13, 2008 at 11:22 a.m.:

Is there any political party (or even a new one) that has the gonads to reform RTE and introduce rotating presenters and appropriate salaries? Such as a cap of 150-250k?
The overpaid 'celebrities' with 25-year guaranteed jobs is a laugh. To date no Irish government has tackled RTE. Let's see what is in some of the forthcoming manifestos and programmes for government.

#12 Bill Flanagan commented, on November 13, 2008 at 12:35 p.m.:

RTE signed a contract with Gerry one year ago to be paid 600k per year for five years so RTE will have to honour it. If RTE decides in five years not to renew his contract Gerry walks without severance etc. So let's get real.

#13 Gary commented, on November 14, 2008 at 10:59 a.m.:

Bill - RTE senior and middle managment have been asked to take 17.5% paycuts so I don't see why 'stars' like Gerry should be exceptions. If other presenters within the station think it is only fair then a gesture from Gerry would do his public standing no harm - seems like he could do with the good press... We do indeed need to get real, companies are going to the wall all over the country, RTE are not exempt from the downturn.

#14 John commented, on November 15, 2008 at 11:40 p.m.:

RTE can have the advertising fee but not the licence fee.
Stop the greed.
Get rid of the overpaid "presenters". Who needs them? There's plenty of talent outside of RTE at a fraction of the cost.
Are you, the people of Ireland happy that RTE gets both a licence fee and advertising revenue in order to fuel overpaid jump-ups.
The BBC only gets a licence fee and look at the quality of the entertainment from the BBC.
50% pay cuts all round or get rid of them.

#15 maigread commented, on November 16, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.:

I cannot believe that these two guys are still at RTE. They were 'has beens' ten years ago. It is a chance for young fresh brains to take their places.

#16 Terry Larkin commented, on November 16, 2008 at 11:25 a.m.:

But that's the way that things go in Ireland, Maigread. Just look at our politicians for another example; they prove their incompetence over many years but the sheep keep re-electing them to the Dail - long after they've gone past their "best-before" date.

#17 Declan Carroll commented, on November 16, 2008 at 12:24 p.m.:

Of all the bills I have to pay, I detest paying the licence fee to RTE/SINN FEIN. They are really a waste of money and how can they justify paying all this money we "have" to give to them on such an idiot. One person said they are "has beens". I agree to some extent, but I say they never "have been" anything at all to me. Thank you.

#18 Jim commented, on November 16, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.:

And I thought Sarah Palin was thick, Gerry she's only trotting after you, [Bus Eireann give back the buses] yea, and Africa is a country.

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