€345K TUBS OFF AIR

Shock as extra earnings show up in broadcaster's accounts audit | Ryan: Error in reporting deal is surprise to me... and not my fault | Minister calls for meeting with bosses as board orders inquiry

- SANDRA MALLON 

RYAN Tubridy will not present his radio show this morning after RTE failed to declare €345,000 of secret payments to its top star.

Last night the former Late Late host insisted the error had nothing to do with him as Arts Minister Catherine summoned RTE chiefs to a showdown meeting.

In a bombshell statement, the RTE board revealed that between 2017 and 2022, Tubridy received a series of payments totalling €345,000 on top of his €420,000 annual published salary, which were not declared to the public or the Oireachtas.

The payments were uncovered after the company's auditors alerted the board to some of the transactions.

Since their statement, the former Late Late Show host told of his surprise the announcement made by the station - but said the error had nothing to do with him.

In a statement he added: "Like many people, I'm surprised by the announcements made in RTE's statement today regarding the errors in the reporting of its accounts.

"It is unfortunate that these errors are in relation to how RTE have reported payments made to me but I just want to be clear: this is a matter for RTE and I have no involvement in RTES internal accounting treatment or RTE's public declarations in connection with such payments.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed to be at the centre of this story but unfortunately, I can't shed any light on why RTE treated these payments in the way that they did nor can I answer for their mistakes in this regard.

The RTE statement said a review found under a separate agreement Tubridy was guaranteed by RTE an additional annual income of €75,000 intended to come from a commercial partner.

One of the payments came in exchange for a number of personal appearances a year.