RTÉ intends to reduce workforce by up to 400 people

RTÉ will publish a document on Tuesday outlining the various methods through which it plans to cut costs in the years ahead.

RTÉ is planning to reduce its workforce by up to 400 people by 2028 under new cost-cutting plans, according to reports. As stated by RTÉ News, these plans are part of the national broadcaster's new strategic vision document that will be published on Tuesday (14 November), with the staff reduction expected to be achieved through a voluntary redundancy scheme that it is estimated will cost around €40 million. RTÉ News also reports that the broadcaster is aiming to achieve the first 10% of redundancies, totalling 40 people, quickly.

Director General of RTÉ Kevin Bakhurst - Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

RTÉ planning to reduce its workforce by up to 400 people.

In terms of other cost-cutting measures at the organisation, the news outlet says it is understood that the strategic vision document proposes transferring more RTÉ production to Cork and other parts of Ireland. This is as the level of content produced by the independent sector looks set to rise, while +1 services for the RTÉ One and RTÉ2 TV channels will be scrapped. Other services that could also be put to an end include the digital radio stations RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, RTÉ Pulse and RTÉ 2XM. As well as all this, RTÉ News reports that the national broadcaster will continue to reduce its top presenters' pay. The leaking of this information to the media ahead of the strategic vision document being published has proven controversial.

"Staff will want an assurance that there is a genuine, sustainable long plan."

In a statement, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) called the leak "a further blow to the trust of staff in an organisation where morale is at an all-time low". The union's Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley added: "The National Union of Journalists supports the call by the RTÉ Trade Union Group for immediate circulation of the strategy document. "I acknowledge that the Director General wants to put his proposals in context but that ship has now sailed and the only way to allay the fears of staff is immediate release of the document. "Trade unions representatives are scheduled to meet the Director General at noon ahead of the staff briefing. Both events are in danger of being an empty charade. We had sought earlier sight of the document, but this request was declined for reasons of confidentiality." Dooley added that the NUJ is "gravely concerned at the scale of the proposed redundanices" and will require "detailed information on how it is proposed to maintain core services and the impact on staff of such drastic proposals". "Against the backdrop of an investigation into the last Voluntary Redundancy Programme, staff will be very sceptical about a new programme," he also said. "Staff will want an assurance that there is a genuine, sustainable long plan based on clearly defined objectives that than a set of announcements aimed at securing government support for short term funding.”