RTÉ generic
The Irish government has announced a €20m reduction in promised funding for RTÉ in 2027.
Under a three-year settlement reached in 2024, the broadcaster had been expecting to work to a budget of €260m next year.
At the eleventh hour, however, the government has now announced that overall financial constraints mean that RTÉ will have to make do with €240m – the equivalent of €20m a month.
RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst said: “RTÉ welcomed and was grateful for the Government’s commitment in 2024 to provide public funding to RTÉ of €725 million over three years, from 2025 – 2027. In fact, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste said at the time, that predictable multi-annual funding is key to RTÉ being able to deliver a strategy.
“As we have said on many occasions, the clarity provided through this multi-annual funding agreement enabled RTÉ to plan ahead, to deliver trusted, independent news and analysis, to commit to producing more public service programmes and content for audiences, including original Irish drama and live sport, to invest in podcasts, apps and the RTÉ Player, to implement a digital commercial strategy, to stabilise our finances, and to make good on our plans.”
He added: “The Government’s decision to reduce this public funding agreement by €20 million at this late stage, when we have already made important commitments to our audiences, to the independent sector, to other important stakeholders and to RTÉ staff, is one we had not anticipated and will inevitably impact on our ability to deliver our five-year strategy. If the three-year multi-annual agreement will no longer be honoured – we now have some important decisions to make.”
The government also refused TG4’s request for an €11m funding boost, leaving its 2027 budget static at €65.4m.
