If the word psychodrama has been overused in Westminster politics in recent weeks, Ireland does psychodramas differently. While the UK is convulsed by the savagery of politics, ours is another episode of RTÉ’s existential struggle with itself.

It’s not about the big questions such as, say, how its journalism and public support survive the new AI-driven era, nor about the hybrid business model that allows it to dominate the Irish market. It is just another grubby eruption about who in the station is earning what.

As its enemies reach for the popcorn and lesser-known politicians prepare for their daytime TV glow-up, listeners focused on surviving geopolitics and the cost of living have to listen to more self-flagellation on the national broadcaster about the national broadcaster – the riveting issue being whether an employee is a bit of a producer or more of a presenter or vice versa because it may affect their public placing among RTÉ’s top 10 earners.

Sick of it, said former government minister Mary Hanafin on the Brendan O’Connor show. “Sick of hearing about the salaries in RTÉ, sick of the top 10s ... It was a big story last year, and rightly so, but does anyone really care where anyone is on the list? I just wish they’d do the trawl and move on.”

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RTÉ........

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