RTÉ has submitted a revised business case for its delayed voluntary redundancy scheme, five months after the Government requested further information.
The 2026/2027 Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP) is now expected to reopen imminently, with the conditions governing who can leave expected to be relaxed.
Under the first round, RTÉ had to show that the role of every employee accepted for the scheme would be completely suppressed, meaning the position would no longer be required. That requirement is expected to be removed.
A senior management source said the revised arrangements would be “much less strict” and would allow more employees to leave.
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport confirmed that RTÉ initially submitted a business case on June 17. Following a review by the department and NewERA, the broadcaster was asked to provide a more comprehensive version, which was received this week.
A department spokesperson said the proposal would now be considered by Minister Patrick O’Donovan before consent was sought from the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
RTÉ confirmed that “all information has been provided”.
RTÉ voluntary exit programme expected to reopen
The scheme was announced last year with a target of achieving 400 departures from the broadcaster by 2029. However, 20 months after its launch, only 68 employees have left under the programme.
More than 300 staff expressed an interest when the VEP opened. Kevin Bakhurst, RTÉ’s director-general, told the Oireachtas Media Committee in December that the broadcaster could have secured a further 30 to 40 departures with “slightly more flexibility”.
The slow progress has contributed to frustration among staff, including people whose applications for the first round were unsuccessful.
One RTÉ employee said the delay had made it appear that management hoped applicants would become so tired of waiting that they would leave anyway. The employee added that many people remained willing to take part if the Government was serious about reducing staffing levels.
Minister O’Donovan said last week that the slow pace of reform at RTÉ was why he was withholding €20 million of a promised €240 million in funding for next year. He was understood to have been referring in particular to the stalled voluntary exit programme.
Sources have blamed stringent oversight for holding up the scheme, with applications subject to repeated requests for information and rejected where the proposed saving fell short of 100 per cent.
One source said that even where the departure of a senior employee would be offset by suppressing junior roles, an application could be refused if the resulting saving was 95 per cent rather than complete.
