Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that what has emerged regarding the handling of redundancy packages in RTÉ was "very disappointing" and it was clear the broadcaster's executive was not "following correct procedures".
He said the developments had undermined what is "a very good organisation and a very valuable organisation".
He was commenting following the publication of a report by law firm McCann Fitzgerald into voluntary exit packages at RTÉ earlier this week.
On the issue of future of the television licence fee, Mr Varadkar said: "In terms of making a decision on future funding I would like us to make that decision this year, legislate for it in 2024, and have it in place for next year because we need to give people certainty about the funding of public service media."
The Taoiseach added that it was his understanding that the two Government-commissioned reports into governance and culture at RTÉ would be published by the end of February, but said "that may have changed."
Minister for Finance Michael McGrath meanwhile said he expected the reports to be published in the coming weeks.
Mr McGrath said that a decision on a future funding model for the broadcaster would likely not be made until those reports are completed.
He told reporters that it "makes sense" to await the outcome of the reports so that the Government has a "full picture" of the problems at RTÉ and the reforms that are required.
Mr McGrath said the Government has already provided €56 million of interim exchequer funding to the broadcaster to stabilise its finances.
He also expressed hope that the reports would be published in full once completed.
Mr McGrath's comments were echoed by Minister of State Ossian Smyth who said that a decision would have to be made about the future funding of public service broadcasting.
"All these reports are feeding into the culture and governance report which will come out at the end of this month and I think that's going to make its recommendations around what should happen with what changes should happen to rebuild trust in RTÉ," the minister told RTÉ's Today with Colm Ó Mongáin.
"At that point the Government will make a decision about how the future funding model is going to work for RTÉ.
"So we have to make a decision about how public service broadcasting is paid for - should it continue in some version of the licence fee, or should it be a universal charge."
Asked whether he had a preference between exchequer funding or maintaining the licence fee, Mr Smyth said that he would not "prejudge what comes out of the report at the end of the month".
Additional reporting Tommy Meskill
