RTÉ spent thousands of euro on Fair City staff’s stay in four-star hotel for ‘residential story conference’

Event was held two days before director general Kevin Bakhurst announced freeze on spending

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RTÉ has revealed that it spent more than €5,000 for Fair City producers and scriptwriters to stay overnight at a four-star hotel just 20 minutes’ drive from its Montrose campus for what it called a “residential story conference” last month.

The event – details of which were first revealed by the Irish Independent last month – took place just two days before RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst announced an immediate freeze on ­recruitment and all discretionary spending in the face of an unprecedented financial crisis at the station.