RTÉ has published its annual report for 2005 which shows the organisation made a net surplus of €9.3m, up 36%. When the FRS17 accounting standard is used the net surplus is €16.5m.
The rise in the organisation's surplus was helped in part by a 13% boost in commercial revenues to €199.8m.
Licence fee revenues rose by 2.4% to €170.1m.
The annual report also says that 97 of the 100 most watched programmes in 2005 were on RTÉ Television.
RTÉ Radio also has 18 out of the 20 most listened to national radio programmes. Over one million viewers either watched the Six One or Nine O'Clock News daily last year.
RTÉ chairman Mary Finan said 2005 was 'an extremely busy and successful year'.
She added the figures showed the organisation performed ahead of budget and increased expenditure on home produced programming.
According to its annual report and group financial statement the increased profit, or surplus, came from increased television and radio advertising revenue. RTE's overall commercial revenue in 2005 was €199.8m.
RTE has 2,287 employees, 450 of which are part time, or casual.
The annual report said that looking ahead, the key financial proirities for 2006 are continued cost control, and further progress on digital broadcasting.
