DEALS ON MEALS | 

Taxpayers’ cash still being used to subsidise canteen for RTÉ’s highly-paid stars

RTÉ staff who did venture into the canteen on Friday were lucky enough to enjoy their lunch at nearly half of what they’d pay in cafes or restaurants nationwide.

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Hard-pressed taxpayers’ cash is still being used to subsidise cheap meals for RTÉ’s highly-paid stars – despite the broadcaster’s repeated claims of poverty.

This week, there was widespread anger across the nation after it emerged how RTÉ had made a series of secret payments to Ryan Tubridy.

The payments were made during the same time period where RTÉ chief Dee Forbes had made repeated calls for an increase in the licence fee.

But despite the station’s claims to be cutting costs, cheap subsidised meals – ultimately partly funded by taxpayers – remain available to the broadcaster’s higher earners.

On Friday, the Sunday World visited the RTÉ canteen in Montrose and discovered the extraordinarily low prices for RTÉ staff, some of who could afford their own restaurants.

The low costs come at a time ordinary Irish people are facing huge hikes in the cost of food due to inflation.

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But those RTÉ staff who did venture into the canteen on Friday were lucky enough to enjoy their lunch at nearly half of what they’d pay in cafes or restaurants nationwide.

Friday’s special in the canteen was lightly-battered fillet of haddock, served with mushy peas, tartar sauce and chips for a tasty €7.50.

Diners could also opt for a Friday combo for a similar mouth-watering price of €7.50, where they are told they can “choose four from the above – mini duck/chicken spring roll, honey mustard pork ribs, Louisiana chicken wings, sausage”.

There is also an option for vegetarians of egg and chips for a delicious price of €5.50.

But we were also told that off the menu you could ask the accommodating chef for a plate of chicken goujons and chips for a yummy €6.50.

Desserts and pastries are also about half the price as other eateries.

For a juicy €2.75 you can have a choice of homemade lemon cake, coconut square, almond square or chocolate biscuit slice. Fruit and plain scones cost €1, a Danish pastry €1.55, croissant €1 and cookies €2. Blueberry muffins cost €2.75. A cup of tea costs 85c and a further 35c for the cup itself.

A regular Americano coffee costs €2.15 and a large one €2.45, with lattes and cappuccinos similarly priced

But there the bargains finish with prices of other items similar to those in shops and mainstream restaurants – pre-packed sandwiches cost €5.50 each, a bag of Tayto €1.30, a chunky KitKat €1.55, large cans of Coca Cola €1.65 and a bottles of water cost €1.60 each.

The canteen was pretty empty late Friday afternoon when we popped in.

“A lot of people are away for the summer, but many of them are keeping their heads down and staying away until all this controversy blows away,” mused one canteen worker.

There is also a staff noticeboard, which includes three second-hand cars looking for new homes – one of which is a C class Mercedes from 2015 for a price of €16,500.

Curiously, there’s also a newspaper article from 2019 about how RTÉ helps senior staff avoid pension tax by switching payments to ‘allowances’.

The article detailed how RTÉ has set up a scheme for senior managers with pension pots of more than €2 million to help them avoid paying a government pension tax.

In late 2019, the Belfast-headquartered Mount Charles group won a seven-year contract to serve up “bespoke” and “home comfort” food and beverages for RTÉ staff.

Mount Charles, which employs 2,500 people, said all of the menus on the Donnybrook campus have been developed exclusively for RTÉ.

The Northern Ireland group, which provides support services including catering, cleaning and security to more than 400 organisations across Britain and Ireland, did not disclose the value of the RTÉ contract.

The company back then confirmed four years ago that it has invested £100,000 (€118,219) to deliver a “new experience” for RTÉ’s then 1,822 staff and visitors to enjoy at the Donnybrook campus.

Earlier this year, sundayworld.com was first to report how the canteen was at the centre of an alarming rodent infestation scare and employees have been forced to eat elsewhere.

RTÉ admitted there has been recent rodent outbreak in the premises but refused to clarify when asked by sundayworld.com if the canteen has been infected by rodents.

“RTÉ has a number of controls in place to monitor rodent activity on our sites, which can occur from time to time, particularly due to building or other works on site or in the area.