Timeline of calls made before minister’s TV interview and RTÉ chair’s departure

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Media Minister has outlined a timeline of events leading up to her TV interview where she failed to express confidence in the former chairwoman of the RTE board.

Siun Ni Raghallaigh said the minister’s failure to express confidence in her factored into her decision to resign hours after the Prime Time episode aired on Thursday.

Catherine Martin outlined a flurry of calls in the hours after the chair had admitted that she had given the minister incorrect information on Monday and Wednesday that week.

This culminated in Ms Martin failing to express confidence in Ms Ni Raghallaigh and stating that she was “deeply disappointed” that she had not been given the correct information.

Ms Martin said that at 10am, Ms Ni Raghallaigh called her department to say that she had inadvertently given the minister incorrect information in two meetings on Monday and Wednesday.

– Thursday 11am

The department’s assistant secretary told the minister about the call.

– 2pm

Ms Ni Raghallaigh was told the minister was concerned about the incorrect information she had been given and that she would write a letter to state her disappointment.

The chairwoman said she regretted the error and then stated that months previous, she had informed the then secretary general to say the independent process had concluded in relation to a former RTE executive and that “she imagined” she would also have referred to the role of the board in approving it.

– around 2.30pm

Ms Ni Raghallaigh rang the secretary general of the Department of Media and expressed her “unhappiness at the prospect of receiving a letter” from the minister voicing her disappointment.

“She was stating that she felt if I wrote a letter that I was disappointed, that she would see that as a lack of confidence and she would have to consider her position,” Ms Martin told the committee in response to questions from Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu.

– around 4.30pm

The chairwoman called the assistant secretary to say that RTE had received a press query about the approval of exit packages and the role of the remuneration committee of the RTE board.

The assistant secretary also called the former secretary general to check Ms Ni Raghallaigh’s comment of having “imagined” being informed.

The former secretary general recalled being told the settlement had been reached but had no recollection that it had been approved by the board, the committee heard.

– around 6.45pm

The secretary general rang Ms Ni Raghallaigh to say the minister had decided a letter would be sent to her and a meeting would be requested for the following morning, either online or in person.

Ms Martin said Ms Ni Raghallaigh was aware since Wednesday that she was due to go on Prime Time on Thursday, and she was told during the call that if minister was asked about the incorrect information given, “it’s not a thing I could conceal”.

"Have you lost confidence in the chair of the RTÉ Board?"

"I'm deeply disappointed..." Media Minister Catherine Martin tells @MiriamOCal, as she reveals she was misinformed about the role of the board in the approval of a key recent exit package.#rtept | @RTENews pic.twitter.com/16kf8CrGDf

— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) February 22, 2024

“The chair stated that she was not happy at the idea of being called to another meeting that week,” Ms Martin said.

The secretary general relayed that to the minister, but Ms Martin said she “wasn’t going to change her mind” on the need for a meeting and so the secretary general rang the chair back at 7.10pm to inform her of this.

The minister said she sent the letter at around 7pm or 7.30pm.

– 9.30pm

Ms Martin appeared on RTE Prime Time.

– 1am on Friday

Ms Ni Raghallaigh issued a resignation statement just before 1am on Friday.