I don't have any problem with Pat Kenny receiving 800,000 Euro per annum if his employers feel he is worth it and can afford to pay him that amount. However, RTE can only afford it's current staffing levels and salary bill because in addition to it's advertising revenue and sales of the RTE Guide, it receives the lions share of the 160 Euro per annum license fee. Very few people who have to pay this tax if they own a television (whether they choose to watch RTE or not) earn more than a 10th of his salary. I don't see any independent television or radio station in this country paying him this amount, as they could'nt afford it.......unlike RTE, they live in the real commercial world.
It's wrong to maintain that Pat Kenny by himself brings in large amounts of advertising money through the programs that he presents. Many people are involved in making and researching those programs and many others provide clerical and backup support to front line staff. Finally the whole edifice, which enables RTE to produce programs to attract advertisers has been provided by the tax payers and those who pay their license fee.
If RTE takes in so much revenue, that it can afford to pay Pat Kenny et al salaries, which in his case is double that of Barack Obama, then I believe that the ordinary hard pressed taxpayers should not have to subsidize this and the TV license should be abolished. I know the arguement against this is that he will take himself elsewhere......great, he will cease to be a burden on the rest of us then......and good luck to him if he can find gobshites who will pay him what RTE does.