RTÉ is planning to reopen its London Bureau.
RTÉ News and Current Affairs Managing Director Kevin Bakhurst said: “Appointing a correspondent in London has been in our plans for some time, but has been curtailed by the ongoing financial restraints facing RTÉ.
"Thanks to significant savings in closing our old office over the last two years as well as redeploying the staffing costs of the Europe Correspondent post we are now in a position to make an appointment.”
As part of restructuring operating costs in March 2012, RTÉ announced it would close its London Bureau, which included offices in Westminster where at one time up to five commercial and news staff members were based.
Then, The Irish Post, politicians, celebrities and well known sports stars backed the retention of the service.
RTÉ’s service provision for the Irish abroad was again brought into focus in recent days over the decision to cease their longwave radio service and move to digital at the end of October.
Mr Bakhurst added: “This will be a smaller operation than we previously had, but with changes in training and technologies we will look to continue to provide the same high quality of coverage expected by the public of RTÉ News.”
It is expected that the appointments will be made internally, and will replace the station’s current Brussels-based Europe Correspondent when that contract comes to an end in December.
Savings from this post will be reallocated to the new London positions.
The person appointed will be responsible for reporting across all RTÉ News television, radio and web-based platforms on political, social and economic affairs in London and across Britain.
Similar to the working structure in RTÉ’s Washington office, the correspondent will work to a newer, more cost-effective model which will see them using self-editing and self-shooting skills, with a freelance camera crew contracted when necessary.
RTÉ currently has a Europe Editor and a Europe Correspondent, both based in Brussels who cover European Affairs including stories within Britain, such as the recent Scottish referendum.
See More: Irish In Britain, RTE, RTÉ London Bureau
