Employment « Thurles Information

Licence Fees, Million-Euro Bailouts & Executive Pay – RTÉ Faces Fresh Scrutiny.

RTÉ is once again at the centre of controversy after new figures revealed that more than 200 people at the broadcaster were earning over €100,000 a year by the end of 2025, including 18 individuals paid more than €200,000 annually.

This latest revelation lands after years of scandals involving hidden payments, secret commercial deals, undisclosed barter accounts, and repeated failures in transparency from Ireland’s national broadcaster.

The public was already furious after the 2023 payments scandal exposed how RTÉ had understated presenter earnings, while continuing to demand television licence payments from ordinary households struggling through a cost-of-living crisis. Trust in the organisation collapsed, senior executives resigned, and multiple government and committee investigations followed.

Yet despite the outrage, RTÉ has continued to rely heavily on taxpayer support.

In recent years, the broadcaster has effectively received two major state financial rescue packages funded by the public:
► A €725 million annual public funding model through licence fees and state support.
► An additional government-backed financial bailout package worth hundreds of millions aimed at stabilising RTÉ after the payments scandal and declining revenues.

At the same time, licence fee inspectors continued pursuing households across Ireland for non-payment, even as questions mounted over excessive salaries, waste, governance failures, and opaque contractor arrangements inside the organisation.

In Ireland, thousands of people have been prosecuted over non-payment of TV licences, but only a relatively small number have actually been jailed.

Historically; in 2012, there were about 11,500 prosecutions for TV licence non-payment. Of those convicted, 242 people were jailed, though most were imprisoned only for a few hours and six overnight.
In 2008, 49 people were jailed over licence-related fines.
Between 1973 and 1993, at least 15 people were imprisoned during a civil disobedience campaign linked to Irish-language broadcasting activism.
More recently, prosecutions and convictions have declined sharply after the RTÉ payments scandal damaged public trust:
Irish courts dealt with 7,263 prosecutions in 2022, falling to 6,555 in 2023.
Nearly 15,000 court summonses were issued in 2022 alone for non-payment.
Convictions for non-payment reportedly fell by around 30% over recent years amid the fallout from RTÉ controversies.

People are generally not jailed directly for “not having a licence” itself, but for failing to pay court-imposed fines after conviction. Fines can reach up to €1,000 for a first offence.

The newest figures also show nearly 1,300 people received between €50,000 and €100,000 from RTÉ in 2025, while thousands more contributors were classified as contractors.

Meanwhile, viewers and taxpayers are still asking the same unanswered question:
How can RTÉ continue demanding mandatory licence fee payments from the public while repeatedly failing basic standards of transparency and accountability with public money?

Looking For A Career With Purpose, Challenge, And Real Impact ?

A career that challenges you, rewards you, and gives you the opportunity to make a real difference every single day.

An Garda Síochána has officially launched its latest recruitment campaign, with applications now open until June 3rd at 3:00pm. Whether your interests lie in community policing, roads policing, detective work, cybercrime, the dog unit, public order, or specialist support units, policing today offers a wide range of exciting and meaningful career paths.

Successful applicants will receive professional training at the Garda College, gain valuable qualifications, and join a modern organisation dedicated to protecting and supporting communities across Ireland.
The campaign also highlights the importance of diversity and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

If you are looking for a career with purpose, teamwork, progression, and the chance to positively impact people’s lives, this could be the opportunity for you.

Apply now through Garda.ie or PublicJobs.ie before the closing date.

Irish Ambulance Staff Launch 24-Hour Strike Amid Pay & Role Dispute.

Paramedics and ambulance personnel across Ireland have begun a nationwide 24-hour strike, prompting warnings from the HSE about delays to ambulance response times for non-emergency cases.

The industrial action, which started at 8am on Tuesday and continues until 8am on Wednesday, involves National Ambulance Service staff including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, advanced paramedics, specialist paramedics and supervisors.

The dispute centres on claims by Unite and SIPTU that the HSE has failed to implement recommendations from the 2020 Roles and Responsibilities Review. Union representatives argue that ambulance workers have taken on greater clinical duties, qualifications and operational responsibilities over recent years without receiving corresponding pay increases or recognition.

They also say a recommended 5% pay rise under the Benchmarking II process remains outstanding.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said ambulance staff had been “left with no option” but to strike in pursuit of fair pay and recognition for the increasingly complex work they perform on the frontline.

Union officials said contingency measures have been agreed with the HSE to ensure emergency and life-threatening cases continue to receive priority treatment during the stoppage.

Unite regional officer Eoin Drummey said workers would rather be “saving lives than standing on picket lines”, but insisted staff felt compelled to act after years of frustration over unresolved issues.

The HSE has advised the public that ambulance response times for non-life-threatening incidents are likely to be significantly affected during the strike period and encouraged people to consider alternative healthcare services where appropriate.

New Gardaí Strengthen Policing Across Ireland And Tipperary.

A total of 193 new members of An Garda Síochána were formally sworn in today Friday, May 1st 2026, marking another significant step in the ongoing expansion of Ireland’s police force. The attestation ceremony took place at the Garda College in Templemore, County Tipperary, where all Garda recruits undergo their initial training before entering operational service.

The newly attested class consists of 134 men and 59 women, reflecting continued recruitment efforts aimed at strengthening frontline policing nationwide. Following their ceremony, the recruits officially became probationer Gardaí and are now being deployed to communities across the country. This group brings the total number of sworn Garda members to 14,661, highlighting a steady increase in personnel since recruitment resumed in recent years.

As expected, the largest allocation of new Gardaí has been directed toward the crime ridden Dublin Metropolitan Region, with 141 officers assigned there to support high-demand urban policing. Much smaller numbers have been distributed to other regions, including the Eastern, Southern, and North Western divisions, ensuring a minor nationwide boost in policing visibility and response capacity.

For counties such as Tipperary, the impact of this intake is modest but still important. While only a small number of new Gardaí will be assigned to the wider Southern Region, they are likely to be placed in key operational hubs such as Thurles, Templemore, Clonmel, or Nenagh. These larger stations serve as central bases for policing surrounding rural areas, including smaller stations in towns like Borrisoleigh, Templetuohy, and Killenaule. Newly attested Gardaí typically begin their service in busier stations, where they gain frontline experience in patrol duties, emergency response, and community policing before potentially rotating to smaller local stations.

The attestation also reflects a broader strategy by the Irish Government to maintain a steady pipeline of Garda recruits. New trainee classes are scheduled to enter Templemore every few months, ensuring continued growth in Garda numbers and supporting high-visibility policing initiatives across the country.

Overall, this latest group of Gardaí represents not just an increase in numbers, but a continued investment in community safety. For areas like Thurles and the wider Tipperary district, even a small number of additional officers can make a meaningful difference, enhancing local policing presence and strengthening connections between Gardaí and the communities they serve.

Ending Youth Wage Inequality In Ireland.

On International Workers’ Day, the spotlight has once again turned to a controversial issue in Ireland’s labour market: sub-minimum wages for young workers. According to the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), more than 27,000 young people are currently earning less than the standard minimum wage; a figure that has sparked renewed calls for reform.

Ireland remains one of the few countries in the EU where workers under 20 can legally be paid less than the full minimum wage. These reduced rates are structured by age, meaning younger employees may receive as little as 70% – 90% of the adult rate, regardless of their experience or responsibilities.
The NYCI argues that this system amounts to “age-based pay discrimination,” sending a troubling message that younger workers’ contributions are inherently less valuable. Ms Kathryn Walsh, Director of Policy and Advocacy at NYCI, has warned that such policies deepen inequality and undermine living standards for young people already facing rising costs of living.

Beyond fairness, there are growing concerns about exploitation. Research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) suggests some employers may rely on lower youth wage rates to offset rising labour costs as the national minimum wage increases. This creates a system where young workers are not only paid less, but may also be more vulnerable to insecure and precarious employment conditions.
For many young people, minimum wage jobs already offer limited stability. Lower pay rates can make it even harder to afford basic living expenses or plan for the future.

The NYCI believes abolishing sub-minimum wages is a necessary step toward ensuring dignity, equality, and fair treatment in the workplace.

As Ireland moves toward a “living wage” model in the coming years, pressure is mounting on policymakers to act. Ending sub-minimum pay rates would not only align Ireland with broader European standards but also signal a commitment to valuing all workers equally,regardless of age.