A job-seeker looking for a position with Ireland’s national radio station RTE was told to ‘ go f..yourself” in a reply letter.

Disk jockey  Tom O'Connor , 28, received the email after posting a job wanted query on the stations’ web site. He was said to be deeply distraught by it.

The incident comes at a time when unemployment is 15 per cent in Ireland and RTE is completely underwritten by  government funding.

Deeply embarrassed management sent out an email last week demanding that the source of the email own up to the message.

"We do know that someone has owned up and it is being resolved, but there is no talk yet as to what the disciplinary procedure will be. An email was sent out demanding that whoever had sent the message out ....own up immediately.

"It was also said that if they did not, RTÉ would get the IT department involved to track the individual down. Clearly, whoever was to blame decided it was best to just own up."

"It was simpler that the person own up rather than dragging the whole IT department over to investigate. But at the end of the day, most of us in the station are seriously shocked at this. We are all in this to get ourselves a good name, rather than get publicity like this.

A spokesman  said they were investigating the matter and treating it "extremely seriously".

"The internal investigation is in progress. Naturally, RTÉ Radio is taking this matter extremely seriously. Until such time as all the facts are established there will be no further comment on the details of the investigation as it takes place."