RTÉ chief defends extra payments to Patrick Kielty
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association
RTÉ’s director general has said he would “love” to keep Patrick Kielty as the host of the Late Late Show, as he defended extra payments to the star.
Kielty, who recently came to the end of a contract to host the Late Late Show, was paid an additional €23,980 across 2024 and 2025 as he presented additional programmes beyond his standard contract.
RTÉ and Kielty had said his pay was €250,000.
However, he was paid €266,323 in 2025 and €257,657 in 2024.
The national broadcaster said this was because it “required” Kielty to present “some additional programmes beyond his standard contract”.
Asked on Tuesday why RTÉ had not been able to calculate how many programmes it would require him to host, the station’s director-general Kevin Bakhurst said: “The 250,000 was for the run of the Late Late, and then there was some exceptional ones like the Christmas programme which we didn’t decide at the beginning.
“But there was something in his initial contract three years ago, which was if you did an extra programme then you’d be paid for that programme.”
Bakhurst has previously said no-one at RTÉ should earn more than he does.
He has a basic salary of €250,000 and is entitled to a car allowance of €25,000 and a pension contribution of €62,500.
He is also reportedly in line for a potential pay rise of €20,000.
Bakhurst said there had been “real downward pressure on presenter salaries”, with significant declines in the overall pay in the top 10 – with few near the ceiling of his own pay.
He said there had been “very tight control on it”.
Asked how he could say this when Kielty was paid for additional programmes, the RTÉ boss said it was in the terms of his contract.
There has been speculation that Kielty – who has finished a contract to present the Late Late Show – is waiting for Bakhurst to receive a salary boost from the Government before negotiating his next term as host.
Asked if he believed this to be the case, Bakhurst said: “I don’t know – I’d love to get that pay deal sorted.”
Additionally asked if he wanted Kielty to return to the programme, he said: “I’d love to keep Patrick – he’s great.”
Pressed on whether he had a contingency plan, he told reporters: “I’m not going to say that – it’d drive up the cost of some other contingency plan.”
Mr Bakhurst also addressed his own remuneration when asked about a potential €20,000 pay rise.
He said: “The DG salary hasn’t been increased for a long time, and I don’t know whether that is in process, but that’s not my decision.”
Asked if Bakhrust pay increase would be approved, Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan said: “That issue is under review with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the moment – and it’s not a matter for me, it’s matter for the Department of Public Expenditure.”
