Bakhurst pledges ‘time for action’ ahead of first day as RTE director-general

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The only thing I’ll say to people is it’s time for action now, that’s all we need.” Earlier government minister Thomas Byrne described Mr Bakhurst’s arrival at RTE as a “really good moment” as the broadcaster attempts to rebuild trust. “I am very reassured in what he has said to Government and it’s important that he be allowed to set out those plans on Monday and to talk to staff first and then to inform the wider nation about those changes, and he’s going to make them quickly.” Asked about his views on reform of the TV licence, the Taoiseach said the current system needs to be overhauled. “It’s a really old fashioned way of collecting revenue based on ownership of a TV, a device that many people just don’t have anymore, and almost all the money goes to RTE even though there are many other bodies involved in broadcasting outside public service broadcasting,” Mr Varadkar said. “I can see the political temptation to put it off for another government or another Dail, but I do not want to do that, and I want to make sure we have a new system up and running during the lifetime of this Government.” The furore around RTE’s failure to disclose 345,000 euro of additional payments to former Late Late Show host Tubridy between 2017 and 2022 has since widened.