Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said that "trust was shattered" between the public and RTÉ, leaving people "shocked and outraged".
The Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media questioned Minister Martin for almost three hours this afternoon with politicians repeatedly expressing their incredulity and disappointment at recent events.
Minister Martin expressed her concern at the "the serious cultural, control and governance issues" at the national broadcaster.
The minister acknowledged that "[a] number of positive actions have been taken by the Board and DG (Director General) over the past number of weeks", adding that "comprehensive and far-reaching examinations" are underway.
Forensic accountants are to expand their work to include the barter account back to 2012, including the role of the Executive Board and Board of RTÉ and the Audit and Risk Committee.
Asked if she has confidence in the board's ability to perform its oversight function, she said that "they have moved quickly to work to improve the structures".
"I think the skillset is there in the board too," she added, noting the chair's accountancy background.
Minister Martin spoke of some positives that had come out of the crisis at RTÉ, saying that she sees the "absolute 100% cooperation" between the Chair of the RTE Board and the Director General.
"They are in this together," she said of the board and the leadership team.
"In a strange way", while trust has been undermined by the crisis at RTE, "the value of public service broadcasting has only been strengthened", along with an appreciation of "the absolute need for it, to strengthen it".
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Fianna Fáil Senator Shane Cassells expressed his disappointment that RTÉ did not put forward the outline of a strategic plan for the broadcaster before Budget Day next Tuesday.
Mr Cassells said that Director General Kevin Bakhurst had committed to providing the framework at his last appearance before the Committee.
Catherine Martin said she would not be inclined to make a full decision on funding RTÉ until she had seen the full strategic framework.
Mr Cassells asked what would constitute radical reform at RTÉ, saying the public was losing faith in the broadcaster as had been seen in the dip in people paying the license fee.
Minister Martin said: "Obviously robust governance, but a lot of that is fixing what we would have expected in the first place, but I would like to see a focus on independent productions, a focus on digital.
"We need to see a vision of a trustworthy broadcaster that provides quality content that reflects the values of our society and reflects the diversity of Ireland and inclusivity and it needs to be done in a cost effective way.
"It's up to DG to present how that will be done."
Toyshow: The Musical
Mr Cassells expressed his anger at how RTÉ executives had defended the money spent on Toyshow: The Musical last year.
"A failure of €2 million was defended here on the basis that, sure we’re supporting the arts," he said.
"You can call it investing in the arts or you can call it a colossal cock up, I know what I’d call it, and for them to come in with that attitude, they wouldn’t come in now with that attitude. Well, I’d hope not, he added."
Mr Cassells said he believed that there is an attitude problem within RTÉ.
"They cannot make monumental commercial bad decisions and then come in here...and treat us with contempt and then come to you and say bail us out," he said to the Minister.
'Nobody is ever held to account'
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster said it would be vital that there was accountability within RTÉ after the investigations take place.
"Nobody has ever been sanctioned," the TD said.
"That's what's always happened in this State - nobody is ever held to account," she added, and said that sanctions must be "put in place", otherwise it "just sticks in the craw" of the general public.
Minister Martin said she would be meeting with RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst this week, and that she would re-emphasise the importance of rebuilding trust with staff also.
She said she would ask Mr Bakhurst for an update on that matter also.
'Very disappointed'
Minister Martin said that she was "very disappointed" to discover that senior managers at RTÉ had restored pay "whilst I was in the process of engaging" on interim funding last year.
That was "a big disappointment, actually, and not good enough," she said, "to come seeking money while restoring pay. And I've made that clear to them".
Minister Martin was answering questions from Fine Gael TD,Brendan Griffin, who asked if she had spoken about the importance of the Oireachtas Committee on Media being able to question key figures in RTÉ.
Minister Martin said she had, but that it was her understanding that the reason former DG Dee Forbes had not appeared before the Committee was due to ill health.
"It’s not the resignation, but the ill health that has prevented her from participating with the committee. I have been very clear that she needs to participate and engage with this committee as soon as she returns to good health", she said.
