RTE: Seven of Irish broadcaster's top 10 earners are men

Ryan Tubridy presents a mid-morning radio programme and a weekly TV chat show

Seven of the top 10 stars on Irish broadcaster RTE's latest list of its highest-paid presenters are men.

Ryan Tubridy, who hosts a daily radio show and The Late Late Show on TV, tops the list with 495,000 euros (£443,000).

The top women are Miriam O'Callaghan at four with 299,000 euros (£267,000), and Marian Finucane in fifth place with 295,000 euros (£264,000).

The figures relate to 2015. RTE said the issue of gender pay was important but many factors influenced star fees.

Ireland's public service broadcaster has released the salary details of its biggest stars for many years.

The latest list comes two weeks after the BBC published its star salaries for the first time - causing a furore over the fact that there was just one woman in the top nine.

RTE's Top 10 earners:

1. Ryan Tubridy - 495,000 euros (£443,000)

2. Ray D'Arcy - 400,000 euros (£358,000)

3. Joe Duffy - 389,988 euros (£349,000)

4. Miriam O'Callaghan - 299,000 euros (£267,000)

5. Marian Finucane - 295,000 euros (£264,000)

6. Sean O'Rourke - 290,113 euros (£259,000)

7. Claire Byrne - 201,500 euros (£180,000)

8. Nicky Byrne - 200,583 euros (£179,000)

9. Bryan Dobson - 195,913 euros (£175,000)

10. Darragh Maloney - 188,803 euros (£169,000)

RTE's top presenters have taken big pay cuts in recent years as a result of financial problems - meaning the 2015 total is 34% lower than the 2008 figure.

Eight of the top 10 were men in 2014. Director general Dee Forbes said: "The issue of gender pay is an important one.

"It is crucial to understand... that many factors influence presenter fees - there are significant variations in programme commitments, broadcast hours and audience numbers."

RTE (Raidio Teilifis Eireann) has started a review of role and gender equality across the organisation and Ms Forbes said she would also look at greater equality on contributor panels.