Talks have collapsed over a new contract.
In a shock move, the broadcaster confirmed tonight that talks about his return have fallen apart at the last minute.
All the signs were that Mr Tubridy was in line for a comeback on a salary of less than €200,000.
However, a statement he issued in response to the Grant Thornton report seems to have derailed the negotiations.
New Director General Kevin Bakhurst said: “We went into negotiations with Ryan in good faith and in the hopes of reaching an agreement that would see Ryan return to his RTÉ Radio 1 show. I have decided not to continue with negotiations and, as such, there are no plans for Ryan to return to his presenting role with RTÉ at this time.”
Ryan Tubridy bangs fist on desk and says ‘we’ll stay for as long as it takes’
He admitted that RTÉ and the former Late Late Show host had agreed “the fundamentals” of a deal, including the fee, duration and hours.
But Mr Bakhurst said it is his view “that between the parties has broken down”.
“Public statements made without consultation appear to question the basis for the necessary restatement of fees paid for services for 2020 and 2021.
“As I set about a programme of recovery from this crisis, it is imperative that all parties are aligned in one key respect: the misstatement of fees should never have happened; and the correct re-statement of those fees is accepted by all,” he said.
While reacting to the Grant Thornton report which examined payments since 2017, Mr Tubridy said it was “clear” that his income for 2020 and 2021 matches that which was originally published by RTÉ in its top-10 earners.
This included the period during which he also received €150,000 on foot of a deal involving RTÉ and Renault. The money was ultimately paid from an RTÉ barter account.
In a statement tonight, Mr Bakhurst said: “I have been clear since I took up the role of Director-General of RTÉ that I am absolutely committed to restoring trust in this organisation following a shameful period in our history. To achieve this, and fully draw a line between our recent past and present, we must acknowledge and accept the issues that have arisen.”
He concluded: “Who knows what the future holds, but for now I am concluding the negotiation with Ryan, and focusing on delivering a range of important changes to the operation and culture of this organisation as part of the essential work to restore trust in RTÉ.”
