Struggling RTÉ to splash €350,000 on plush hotels for its celebrity guests

‘RTÉ has successfully negotiated competitive rates with all hotels’ (stock photo)

Gordon Deegan

Cash-strapped RTÉ is set to spend an estimated €350,000 over two years on a string of five and four-star hotels around Dublin to accommodate celebrities and other contributors appearing on the station.

According to a contract award published, the five-star Merrion, Conrad and Dylan hotels have beaten off competition from other five-star hotels around Dublin to secure a place on a hotel panel to accommodate celebrities and guests.

In addition, a number of four-star complexes - the Ballsbridge Hotel, the Clayton Hotel, the Camden Court Hotel, and the Radisson Blu St Helen's Hotel and the Talbot Hotel at Stillorgan - have also secured a place on a four-star panel.

The tender said RTÉ had around 1,150 hotel bookings in 2018, but pointed out that the figure could fluctuate annually and was not an indication of booking numbers for the future. However, celebrities will have to pay for their own alcoholic drinks, with the tender stating that no alcoholic drinks or bar items are to be charged to RTÉ by the hotels and no additional charges or services are to be charged to RTÉ.

A spokesman for RTÉ said that the estimated €350,000 spend "is an accurate estimate for a two-year period. However, it is an estimate".

He said that the final figure "is dependent on RTÉ's broadcasting schedule and RTÉ's events programme for the year which have not been finalised".

"In the case of RTÉ radio and television programmes, guests are often secured at short notice," he added.

The spokesman said: "RTÉ has successfully negotiated competitive rates with all hotels selected following a public tender, despite inflation in the market."

He added that RTÉ was satisfied that it had achieved value for money in the contract.

On the need to have a panel of five-star hotels in place to accommodate guests appearing on the network, he added: "Guest requirements vary with the result that five-star hotel accommodation may be required from time to time."

Figures published last October revealed that the State broadcaster splashed out for approximately 1,150 bookings at four and five-star hotels in 2018.

Last December, the Government announced an extra €50m in funding for RTÉ. It said that an extra €10m would be made available annually over five years.

Communications Minister Richard Bruton said at that point the model of funding and supporting media and RTÉ was changing.