A local TD and former communications minister says he would not be surprised to find out more RTE employees have been paid through the controversial 'barter account'.
Roscommon Galway TD Denis Naughten says a 'web of deceit' exists with in the RTE Board and that the trust between the state broadcaster and the Government is broken.
He believes that the undisclosed €345,000 paid to Ryan Tubridy shows how RTE mislead him and by extension, the cabinet he reported to as Minister.
Speaking to the Joe Finnegan Show today, Deputy Naughten says the current use of the license fee must be re-examined:
"I know that Ryan Tubridy is in the crosshairs at the moment but I would be very surprised if he is the only one that was receiving payments through this barter account. I think we need full transparency in relation to exactly what salaries are being paid, how they're being paid in RTE and I believe that this story as a long way to go. I think there's an opportunity now to review this whole system and how that TV license is being distributed".
