Better Late Late than never, Ryan

RYAN Tubridy is to break his silence on the secret payments scandal when he faces the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday

- FERGHAL BLANEY

It's expected the former Late Late Show host will be joined by his agent Noel Kelly at the special meeting of the Dail's top committee.

The box office showdown is to be the first of Tubs' two visits to Leinster House next week.

He is up before the Media Committee - potentially on the same which would see him facing a grilling for up to six hours.

The PAC will sit again on Thursday, the last sitting day of the Dail before the summer recess, to interrogate RTE's executives again.

Meanwhile, incoming Director General at RTE Kevin Bakhurst met Media Minister Catherine Martin for an emergency briefing yesterday. Mr Bakhurst starts his new role on Monday and has vowed to introduce a raft of reforms from day one.

He will reveal his plan on Monday.

The former BBC boss worked for RTE over a decade ago for a few years and said the events that unfolded over the past few weeks have been "painful to watch".

Mr Bakhurst spoke to reporters outside Kildare House after meeting Minister Martin.

He said: "My job is to restore trust, clearly that's been severely damaged.