Ryan Tubridy pictured here in July 2023.RollingNews.ie
Ryan Tubridy has repaid the controversial €150,000 he was paid by RTÉ after months of public discussion about the money.
The former "Late Late Show" host left the broadcaster in 2023 amid a high-profile scandal over undisclosed payments.
Confirming the amount had been repaid in a statement shared on Friday, August 8, Ryan said: "Earlier today I made a payment of €150,000 to RTÉ.
"I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTÉ - or with anyone acting on their behalf - and without condition.
"I have said on various occasions that I intended making this payment and I’m happy to have been able to do so today."
In May, it was reported that Ryan wouldn’t have a problem with repaying the money but would want it to be done once other issues with RTÉ were resolved.
These issues surrounded data about him and his agent, Noel Kelly, being held by the broadcaster.
Ryan received the €150k as part of a controversial deal made in 2020. He was set to be paid €225k over three years by RTÉ in return for participating in three corporate events for the "Late Late Show’s" sponsor, Renault.
He received two payments of €75k, totalling €150k, and these were made through a barter account, which meant they weren’t seen by the public when RTÉ shared their annual list of presenters’ salaries.
The debate about whether the money should be repaid has long been rumbling on and in May, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said he thought there was a "moral" case for Ryan paying back the cash.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin had also commented on the public debate, with Extra.ie reporting him as saying: "I think there has been an element of a witch hunt in all of this over the last three years.
"So I’m not going to go like the herd and just join any sort of attack on any individual."
*This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.