Dunfanaghy native Siún Ní Raghallaigh resigns as Chair of RTÉ Board

Dunfanaghy woman Siún Ní Raghallaigh has resigned as Chair of the RTÉ Board.

Ní Raghallaigh's resignation was confirmed in a statement at 12.48am on Friday.

The 66-year-old said it was 'abundantly clear' that she no longer had the confidence of Media Minister Catherine Martin.

“My resignation is a source of sadness to me, but it is unavoidable,” Ní Raghallaigh said.

During an appearance on Thursday night's Prime Time, the Minister twice declined to express confidence in Ní Raghallaigh and said she sought a meeting for Friday morning.

The Minister told Prime Time that she was 'deeply disappointed' that she was twice misinformed about exit packages with departing executives from the embattled station.

In her own departing statement, Ní Raghallaigh claimed that the Minister had been informed of the payoff package.

“Kevin Bakhurst brought the exit of Rory Coveney from RTÉ, announced on Sunday 9th July, to my attention, while the exit of Richard Collins was brought to and approved by the Remuneration Committee of the Board of RTÉ on October 9th 2023,” Ní Raghallaigh said.

“However, I neglected to recollect that Richard Collins’s exit package did go before the Remuneration Committee.

“This was not an intentional misrepresentation, and I subsequently contacted the Department to clarify the details and remind them that I had previously appraised them of the matter in October.”

Ms Ní Raghallaigh said she informed the Department of the process which led to Mr Collins' departure the day after it was approved by the Remuneration Committee.

Ní Raghallaigh was one of th2e founding members of Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG), which has since become TG4.

Ní Raghallaigh, who has a background in finance, television and film production, was the TG4 Chair from 2012 until April 2022.

In November 2022, Ni Raghallaigh was appointed the chair of RTÉ's, replacing Moya Doherty.

RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst, said in a note to staff: “Siún has been an excellent Chair and a great support to me throughout an incredibly challenging time for RTÉ.

“Siún believed in RTÉ and its future and she will be sorely missed.”