Voluntary exit costs at RTÉ were €8.5m last year – report

The exit costs associated with the 67 members of staff who left RTÉ in 2025 under the voluntary exit programme (VEP) were €8.5m.

The annualised savings of the 67 staff who exited, along with the suppression of 30 other roles across the organisation in 2025, led to €8.4 million savings, RTÉ has confirmed.

The broadcaster has published its 2025 annual report, following Cabinet approval.

It states that RTÉ recorded a surplus of €22.5 million, an increase from the 2024 figure of €5.5 million.

The sales of TV licence fee units continues on a downward trend with 768,657 sold in 2025, down from 792,243 in 2024.

The decline of 3% was offset by an increase in income from the Department of Social Protection relating to “free TV licences”.

The 2025 report states that total revenue increased by €3m between 2025 and 2024.

This is an increase to €383.4 million in 2025 versus €380.4 million in 2024.

Income from the TV licence fee in 2025 was €183.5 million, an increase of 5% compared to 2024 figures of €174.3 million.

The broadcaster’s revenue is made up from commercial revenue, and the three year multi-annual public funding package of €725 million across the years 2025–2027 (which breaks down across the years 2025-2027 of €225m, €240m and €260m respectively) including income from the TV licence.

The broadcaster stated that commercial revenue in 2025 was €158.6 million, an increase on the 2024 figure of €158.1 million.

Advertising and sponsorship revenue across TV, radio and RTÉ guide totalled €121.1 million, on par with 2024 at €121.3m, again, as in 2024, representing approximately 76% of total commercial income.

However, TV advertising and sponsorship income specifically was lower in 2025 at €81.3 million, compared to €84.9 million in 2024.

Radio and digital advertising and sponsorship income increased from €36.1m to €39.5m.

Public funding comprises TV licence fee income which is collected by An Post and paid to RTÉ by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and additional Government approved public funding of €725m for the years 2025-2027.

As a result, combined licence fee income and Government funding received by RTÉ in 2025 was in line with the public funding agreement of €225m compared to €222.3m in 2024.

Additional Government funding recognised by the Department was €41.3 million in 2025, a decrease of €6.7 million compared to 2024.

Staffing

As of 31 December 2025, RTÉ employed 1,801 full and part-time staff, a decrease on the 2024 figure of 1,826.

The full-time equivalent (FTE) figure was 1,714 compared to 2024 where the figure stood at 1,744.

Included in these numbers are 58 employees who left under the VEP on 1 January 2026.

One-off costs associated with special events in 2025 were €4.1m, lower than €13.7m in 2024, which included global events such as the Paris Olympics.

For the third time, and in line with the previous commitment from RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, the report includes the earnings of its leadership team as well as remuneration details.

The remuneration details of RTÉ leadership team in annual reports include pensions and allowances, where paid.

The details from the 2025 RTÉ annual report states that the top ten earners in RTÉ in 2025 included nine members of the management team with just one presenter listed, Claire Byrne, who left the organisation in 2025.

The RTÉ leadership team earnings for the year ended 31 December 2025 were:

• Director General Kevin Bakhurst – €339,538 (salary €250,000)
• Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch – €293,627 (salary €222,838)
• Director of Operations, Technology & Transformation Richard Waghorn – €291,160 (salary €235,264)
• Managing Director of News and Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy – €285,063 (salary €225,067)
• Director of Finance Mari Hurley €276,344 (salary €240,910) (left the organisation)
• Director of Video Steve Carson – €276,282 (salary €240,910)
• Director of Human Resources Eimear Cusack – €274,721 (salary 216,300) (left the organisation in March 2026)
• Director of Commercial Gavin Deans – €269,055 (salary €240,910)
• Director of Audio Patricia Monahan – €269,055 (salary €240,910
• Director of Legal Daniel Coady €214,319 (salary €191,900)
• Chief Risk Officer Eleanor O’Shaughnessy – €75,961 (salary €69,406) (received a partial salary due to being appointed in May 2025)

Mr Bakhurst has made it policy at the broadcaster that nobody will be paid a salary higher than him.

The Director General’s earnings are made up of a salary of €250,000, pension contribution of €62,500, allowances of €25,000 and other payments of €2,038.

Total operating costs decreased in 2025; however, it should be noted that 2024 included €13.7m of one-off costs associated with special events as compared to €4.1m in 2025.

The broadcaster said that the stronger surplus at the end of 2025 will “contribute to the implementation of strategic initiatives announced by RTÉ as part of its New Direction Strategy, such as the first tranche of VEP exits which occurred in January 2026, investment in a new HR system that commenced in Q1 2026 and the delivery of the new news app and the new audio app in 2026”.

The report notes that national moments brought the highest TV audiences in Ireland in 2025.

The Late Late Toy Show yet again took the top spot, while brand new entertainment programme The Traitors Ireland entered the top ten.

Sport made up the remaining eight of the top ten most watched programmes as Troy Parrott’s World Cup qualifier goals, All-Ireland Hurling and Football finals and the Guinness Six Nations all featured prominently.

On the digital front, RTÉ Player recorded a new all time high the broadcaster states, with 155 million streams, representing year-on-year growth of 9%.

Mr Bakhurst said: “2025 was the first year of our New Direction five-year strategy and we made good progress in implementing it and in rigorously managing our finances, delivering another annual surplus. We reduced our staff numbers through our 2025 Voluntary Exit Programme and other departures as part of our plans to become smaller and more agile and to reduce our cost base over the five years of the strategy.”

Chair of the Board of RTÉ, Terence O’Rourke, said that the “processes and procedures provided the necessary structures for me, along with my Board colleagues, the Director General and the Leadership Team to continue to make good on our commitment to ensure that RTÉ is a well-run, well-governed, accountable organisation”.

The full report can be read here.