RTÉ is looking to sell a significant portion of its Montrose campus in Dublin, the broadcaster has told the Dáil Public Accounts Committee. RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said the organisation had held preliminary discussions with the Land Development Agency about the lands in Donnybrook.He said the national broadcaster wanted to downsize and reduce its overheads. He said RTÉ had been working on a plan for the existing campus over the last year and a half. He said proposals would be brought to the RTÉ board in the coming weeks. Questioned by Fine Gael TD Grace Boland, Bakhurst defended spending, including using professional drivers to bring high profile guests, for example, to the Late Late Show. “We are not a tinpot broadcaster,” he said. Bakhurst also said between 40 and 60 staff were expected to leave the organisation this year under a voluntary redundancy scheme. He said the overall target of reducing headcount by 400 over a number of years would be achieved by a combination of voluntary redundancies and suppressing posts held by staff who retired or resigned. Bakhurst also RTÉ would need public funding into the future “unless we drastically reduce our remit”. In an opening statement to the committee Bakhurst said RTÉ had reversed the trend of reporting deficits and strengthened our financial position.“ This result has been driven by tighter cost controls and supported by our new commercial strategy, which has driven digital revenue and is paying dividends. It is underpinned by the multiannual funding commitment that was made in 2024; this certainty has enabled proper planning and contracting and we would appeal very strongly that a similar commitment is made in 2027 when this next comes up for review. ”“As highlighted by a recent review undertaken by Coimisiún na Meán, there remains a recognised funding challenge for public service media in Ireland. The commitment to the first multiannual funding agreement was a critical step in addressing that funding volatility.”