RTÉ Hiring Process Draws Scrutiny
Oireachtas committee questions RTÉ's recruitment of former Newstalk host Ger Gilroy and clarifies the hiring path for Kieran Cuddihy.
By Ethan Mitchell ·
The Oireachtas media committee heard on Wednesday that RTÉ's sports department was unhappy with the appointment of Ger Gilroy to host a new podcast. Deputy director general Adrian Lynch told the panel that the resistance stemmed from comments Gilroy had previously made about the broadcaster. Lynch stated that the sports unit expressed dissatisfaction due to Gilroy's past remarks, even as executives defended the hiring procedure.
RTÉ director of audio Patricia Monahan described the recruitment process to the committee. She explained that an expression of interest process resulted in 20 internal applications. External candidates were then identified and assessed using the same criteria as internal staff. Monahan said Gilroy was approached in June 2026 to gauge his interest after this initial screening. She maintained that the procedure was clear, fair, and transparent.
Committee members challenged the timeline and the nature of the contact. Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan argued that the sequence of events described by Monahan constituted a tap-up. Committee chair Alan Kelly suggested that executives were avoiding the term headhunted. Fianna Fáil senator Alison Comyn stated that the explanations provided left the committee confused about the sequence of events.
The panel also examined the financial details of the appointment. RT executives declined to disclose Gilroy's specific salary, noting that he does not rank among the station's ten highest earners. Monahan confirmed that the annual budget for the podcast unit is 800,000 euros. This figure includes salaries but excludes the costs for fitting out a new studio. She stated that Gilroy was fully recruited through the formal process.
Discussions turned to the content of Gilroy's new program, known as the Howler podcast. Critics noted a lack of female voices and limited coverage of women's sport. Monahan said this point was communicated to Gilroy as editorial feedback. The committee also debated Gilroy's wardrobe allowance. Senator Comyn cited assurances of a 5,000 euro allowance, while Monahan stated no specific allowance existed. Lynch later suggested that a tracksuit top was potentially purchased for a photoshoot.
The committee learned that the head of sport and the head of radio were not involved in the appointment process. Gilroy's hiring was disclosed to the head of sport only in the days before the public announcement. This procedural detail emerged after Monahan was asked to clarify how Gilroy was hired. The lack of involvement from senior sports figures contributed to the tension during the hearing.
The National Union of Journalists also sought clarification on the recruitment of Kieran Cuddihy, the current Liveline presenter. It was later clarified that Cuddihy applied through the expressions-of-interest process. This followed an interview in which Monahan stated that Gilroy expressed an interest. A subsequent interview with Gilroy indicated that RTÉ's head of podcasts, Hugh Ormond, had pitched him a daily sports podcast instead.
Seamus Dooley, the head of the NUJ, wrote to RTÉ's chief people officer, Annette Malone. He described the nature of the appointment as a matter of utmost seriousness. Dooley argued that the approach was contrary to established recruitment procedures and agreements. He stated that the situation indicated that a culture of secrecy and private deals still prevailed within the organization.
