RTÉ boss declines to set savings target for ‘change management’ consultant
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association
RTÉ has refused to say how much it is paying a “change management” consultant, or to set a target for cost savings arising out of his recommendations.
Consultant Sam Whipple, who worked as a “change co-ordinator” at the BBC, has been tasked to examine how RTÉ is structured and resourced and to identify areas to “improve workflows” and “delivery” across TV, radio, online and social media.
His review started at the end of April and is expected to last 40 days.
The work comes as RTÉ continues to reduce its headcount by 400 over five years through voluntary exits, resignations and retirements as part of its overall cost-saving strategy
Whipple’s review was not required to be publicly tendered and it is therefore understood to cost less than €50,000.
However, RTÉ’s director-general Kevin Bakhurst refused to provide a specific figure on what Whipple was being paid and declined to put a figure on how much in savings he was expected to identify.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said: “I think it’s really important that you know people like Sam are brought into an organisation.
“There are some areas the organisation that work really efficiently and some areas where there are probably more efficiencies or new work practices or new investments in technology that we need to bring in.”
He added: “You spend a certain amount on bringing in consultants, not a huge amount, but you spend a certain amount, and in the end it will lead to very significant savings and new ideas.
“And it’s really important to keep testing the organisation to make sure we’re as efficient as we can in terms of spending licence fee money.”
Asked how much his services cost, he said: “I’m not going to give the number now, but it’s not significant in terms of what we might save.”
Pressed on how much RTÉ expected to save following Whipple’s work, he said: “It depends on what he comes up with as his suggestions.”
Bakhurst also said he knew Whipple when they both worked at the BBC.
“I didn’t work that closely with him, but I knew him there.
“He left the BBC a long time ago, he’s got an extremely good reputation.”
Trevor Keegan, joint chair of the RTÉ Trade Union Group, said unions had rejected the management strategy of the broadcaster’s leadership team.
He said they were not in favour of a strategy of “farming out” craft jobs within RTÉ to the independent sector.
Keegan said this was not creating new ideas or creativity in the private sector, but would instead be moving shows outside of RTÉ that had been honed by its staff and crew for decades.
He told the Press Association that unions were against the voluntary exit programme and did not want to see “roles and content decimated”.
Whipple has been contacted for comment.
