New RTÉ report reveals significant pay decrease for top presenters

The earnings of RTÉ's top ten presenters have dropped by a significant amount over a two-year period. 

That's according to a newly released report from the broadcaster, which reveals fees paid to its highest-earning presenters dipped by 15% in both 2020 and 2021. 

Ryan Tubridy remains RTÉ's highest paid presenter - with €440,000 annual earnings - despite a €55,000 decrease in pay between 2019 and 2021. 

Meanwhile, Ray Darcy's earnings remained stable in 2021 with €305,000 after a significant decrease from €450,000 to €305,000 between 2019 and 2020. 

Joe Duffy also saw a large decrease in earnings from €392,494 in 2019 to €351,000 in 2021, while Miriam O'Callaghan's pay went from €320,000 in 2019 to €263,500 in 2020 and 2021. 

Just two presenters in the top ten list saw a consistent escalation in pay from 2019 to 2021, including Claire Byrne and Brendan O'Connor. 

The former went from earning €250,000 in 2019 to €350,000 in 2021, while the latter's pay rose from €220,000 to €245,004 during the same period of time. 

Bryan Dobson's pay rose from €209,282 in 2019 to €217,332 in 2020 before returning to €209,282 the following year. 

Mary Wilson also saw a brief rise in 2020 of approximately €8,000 to €204,537 before returning to €196,961. 

RTÉ Director-General, Dee Forbes, said, "Today we are publishing the fees paid to RTÉ's highest-paid presenters for 2020 and 2021, which confirms a total reduction of more than 15%. 

"Our presenters play an important role in RTÉ's provision of vital news, information and entertainment to audiences right across the country and enable us to generate commercial revenue which is essential to fund RTÉ's public services. We are aware that the fees of high-profile presenters attract considerable public interest.

"Over the past 15 years RTÉ has reduced these fees by c. 40%. We continue to keep them under review." 

Total earnings paid to RTÉ's top talent reportedly represents less than 1% of total operating costs.