PRIEST-LIBEL Reporter's ˆ25k Deal in RTE Payout

By Niall O'Connor
The Herald
June 29, 2012

http://www.herald.ie/news/priestlibel-reporters-25k-deal-in-rte-payout-3153625.html

FORMER RTE reporter Aoife Kavanagh was given a five figure golden handshake when she quit the scandal-hit station.

The national broadcaster has confirmed that Ms Kavanagh received a significant sum -- believed to be in the region of ˆ25,000 -- following her resignation in the wake of the libellous Mission To Prey programme.

The Wexford woman was given a severance package equalling six weeks pay per every year she worked at the station.

The significant lump sum -- partly funded by the licence fee -- has never been mentioned by Montrose bosses.

STATEMENT

In a statement, RTE stated that the payment was completely in line with station norms.

Ms Kavanagh departed the national broadcaster "in accordance with the standard of the publicly announced voluntary severance facility," the station said.

The 37-year-old resigned in dramatic circumstances after being exposed to have played a crucial role in the shocking Prime Time Investigates programme that libelled a priest.

Fr Kevin Reynolds is understood to have received in the region of ˆ1m after the programme falsely accused him of rape and fathering a child with a Kenyan woman.

However RTE sources felt Ms Kavanagh was made a scapegoat for wider failures at the station -- with others who played a crucial role in the programme being simply moved to different areas of broadcasting.

Former head of News at RTE, Ed Mulhall, also received a golden handshake on his departure. This sum would have been far greater than that of Ms Kavanagh given the fact Mr Mulhall began working with RTE in 1979.

Contact: hnews@herald.ie