Revealed: RTÉ’s top 10 earners

RTÉ’s Annual Report has revealed that all of the top earners from 2025 who are currently working at the broadcaster are managers.

The only person outside of management who made the top 10 last year, Claire Byrne, no longer works at the national broadcaster.

The report, published today, also states that RTÉ recorded a surplus of €22.5 million, an increase from the 2024 figure of €5.5 million.

It also shows that exit costs accrued in 2025 under the voluntary exit programme (VEP) were €8.5m.

In line with the previous commitment from RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, the report includes the remuneration details of members of its leadership team.

RTÉ top 10 earners

Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General

€339,538

Kevin Bakhurst began the role of Director-General of RTÉ in July 2023. He was previously Managing Director of News & Current Affairs at the public broadcaster and Deputy Director-General from September 2012 to October 2016. Before rejoining RTÉ, Mr Bakhurst was Group Director, Broadcasting and Online at Ofcom where he was a member of its board. Between 2006 and 2012, Mr Bakhurst held a range of senior editorial positions at the BBC, including Controller, BBC News Channel and Deputy Head, BBC Newsroom.

Adrian Lynch, Deputy Director-General and Director Audiences, Channels, Marketing

€293,627

Adrian Lynch has been with RTÉ since the end of 2014 and is formerly the Managing Director of independent television production company, Animo Television. Before taking up his current role, Mr Lynch was previously Channel Controller for RTÉ One and RTÉ2 where he helped launch new schedules for the services. He now has responsibility for Strategy and Transformation at the public broadcaster as the company remodels itself to meet “changing audience behaviours”.

Richard Waghorn, Chief Technology Officer

€291,160

Richard Waghorn leads the Technology division at RTÉ. He joined the public broadcaster as Chief Technology Officer in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed as a director of RTÉ Transmission Network DAC. Before joining the public broadcaster, Mr Waghorn was Chief Technology Officer at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. Before that, he was Controller of Distribution at the BBC, leading the rollout of the digital switchover. He was also a board director of Freesat and project manager for the 2002 launch of Freeview in the UK.

Deirdre McCarthy, Managing Director, RTÉ News and Current Affairs

€285,063

Deirdre McCarthy was appointed Managing Director, RTÉ News and Current Affairs in December 2022 following a public competition. She was the first woman appointed to the role, having held the position of Managing Editor of Regions and Radio News programmes. Before that, Ms McCarthy was the broadcaster’s Political Coverage Editor at Leinster House. From 2008-2012 she was the editor of RTÉ’s dedicated political programme, The Week in Politics and Leaders’ Questions.

Claire Byrne, Presenter (former)

€280,000

Claire Byrne studied Journalism at Rathmines College of Further Education and began her broadcasting career with East Coast Radio in Bray. Following various stints in the UK and Ireland, she moved to RTÉ, where she went on to present flagship current affairs programme, Prime Time, as well as Claire Byrne Live and Today with Claire Byrne. In 2025, she returned to Newstalk to host The Claire Byrne Show.

Mari Hurley, Chief Financial Officer (former)

€276,344

Mari Hurley became Chief Financial Officer at RTÉ in 2024. Before that she held high-ranking roles at AA Ireland, Premier Lotteries Ireland, Hostelworld Group plc and Sherry FitzGerald. She is a graduate of University College Cork and has a qualification from Harvard Business School. Ms Hurley was previously a Non-Executive Director of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) and of Ervia. She has also served as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and Chair of the Credit and Remuneration Committees in both bodies. She resigned from her RTÉ post earlier this year, after less than 18 months in the position.

Steve Carson, Director of Video

€276,282

Having previously worked at RTÉ, Steve Carson rejoined the public broadcaster in 2024, when he joined its Leadership Team as Director of Video following a public competition. Formerly the Director of Programmes for RTÉ Television, Mr Carson moved to BBC Northern Ireland as Head of Productions, and then to BBC Scotland, where he went on to become Director. He is responsible for the delivery of a major editorial strategy across RTÉ’s television stations and the RTÉ Player.

Eimear Cusack, Director of Human Resources (former)

€274,721

Eimear Cusack joined RTÉ in 2017 as the Director of Human Resources. Before that, she had a long career in the private sector, where she worked as head of HR for Ericsson across the UK and Ireland. Ms Cusack left RTÉ in the spring of 2026.

Gavin Deans, Commercial Director

€269,055

Before joining RTÉ, Gavin Deans held senior roles across the Irish media sector, including as Managing Director of Media Central, and in senior positions with Communicorp, News UK & Ireland and Reach. As Commercial Director, his remit includes the transformation of RTÉ’s commercial revenues, with responsibility for driving “sustainable growth” in support of its public-service mission.

Patricia Monahan, Director of Audio

€269,055

Previously Managing Editor at Newstalk, Patricia Monahan joined RTÉ’s Leadership Team as Director of Audio in 2024, following a public competition. She has responsibility for the management of RTÉ’s audio services, including the programming of its radio stations – as well as its digital, online, and podcasting services. Ms Monahan was responsible for devising, developing and implementing the station’s content strategy. She was also a member of the Bauer Media Audio Ireland Senior Leadership Team.

RTÉ’s top 10 overall highest earners for 2024 were:

Presenter Joe Duffy – €351,000

Director General Kevin Bakhurst – €339,954

Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch – €292,285

Director of Operations, Technology and Transformation Richard Waghorn – €287,120

Managing Director, News and Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy – €281,187

Presenter Claire Byrne – €280,000

Director of Human Resources Eimear Cusack – €274,694

Presenter Patrick Kielty – €257,657

Presenter Miriam O’Callaghan – €246,708

Presenter Brendan O’Connor – €244,099

RTÉ’s top 10 overall highest earners for 2025 were:

Director General Kevin Bakhurst – €339,538

Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch – €293,627

Chief Technology Officer Richard Waghorn – €291,160

Managing Director, RTÉ News and Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy – €285,063

Presenter Claire Byrne – €280,000

Chief Financial Officer Mari Hurley – €276,344

Director of Video Steve Carson – €276,282

Commercial Director Gavin Deans – €269,055

Director of Audio Patricia Monahan – €269,055

Director of Human Resources Eimear Cusack – €247,721

Who’s in and who’s out:

IN

Mari Hurley (Chief Financial Officer) – €276,344

Steve Carson (Director of Video) – €276,282

Gavin Deans (Commercial Director) – €269,055

Patricia Monahan (Director of Audio) – €269,055

OUT

Joe Duffy (Presenter) – €351,000 in 2024

Patrick Kielty (Presenter) – €257,657 in 2024

Miriam O’Callaghan (Presenter) – €246,708 in 2024

Brendan O’Connor (Presenter) – €244,099 in 2024