Report says no record of RTE board approving Toy Show musical

An independent report into the multimillion-euro losses incurred by RTE through an ill-fated musical has found there is no written record for its approval, according to the Irish national broadcaster.

RTE’s Toy Show The Musical recorded 2.2 million euro in losses when it was staged for one season at Dublin’s Convention Centre in 2022.

An independent report into the musical was ordered during an expanding controversy around financial mismanagement which engulfed the broadcaster last year.

The Grant Thornton report is expected to be published on Thursday.

During a bruising Oireachtas committee hearing in early July, RTE’s then-director of strategy acknowledged the show had not been a commercial success.

Rory Coveney said: “We took a creative and commercial risk to try, and for the best of reasons, to try and create something unique for Irish families and for children at Christmas.”

He said no one advised RTE that the production was a bad idea.

Mr Coveney, who ultimately resigned days later, said: “We had a lot of advice from people in theatre and musical theatre specialists who had produced very significant productions in the past.”

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Arts Catherine Martin said: “I have received RTE’s commissioned report, Toy Show The Musical and I am giving it due consideration now.

“I am not commenting on it further until RTE publishes the report themselves and I expect that in the coming days.”

Asked about delays in the reports, she said: “Yes, there are slight delays there and it’s only the Toy Show The Musical report is now completed and the other one I think will come in the coming weeks.

“But there was a matter of going through due process, I believe was due to the delays but I have one and I expect the other in the coming weeks.

“It’s quite a detailed report and I am going through that now and I won’t comment on it until RTE publishes their own report.”