RTÉ 2025 Top Presenters: Byrne Earns €280,000

RTÉ has published its top 10 highest-paid presenters list for 2025, placing Claire Byrne at the top with earnings of 280,000 euros, while reclassifying veteran broadcaster Derek Mooney as a presenter and confirming post-departure payments to Byrne and Ray D’Arcy.

The list, released Thursday, reflects a policy shift to include staff in dual roles such as producer-presenter, in line with recommendations from a government expert advisory committee on governance. Byrne ranked first, followed by Patrick Kielty at 266,323 euros and Miriam O’Callaghan at 244,797 euros. Brendan O’Connor placed fourth with 239,988 euros, D’Arcy fifth at 219,992 euros, David McCullagh sixth at 206,393 euros, Mooney seventh at 202,264 euros, Darragh Maloney eighth at 197,840 euros, George Lee ninth at 194,406 euros and Dáithí Ó Sé tenth at 202,809 euros.

RTÉ also revised its 2024 list for consistency, slotting Mooney in eighth place at 197,151 euros. From 2020 to 2024, Mooney had been designated a producer under his contract as executive producer, excluding him from prior top presenter rankings. Director General Kevin Bakhurst described the original classification as a justifiable decision backed by recent...