RTÉ is expected to lose some €21 million in TV licence revenues due to the drop in sales that has occurred in the wake of the revelations over secret payments to Ryan Tubridy.
As The Irish Times report, the Cabinet was to be updated on the projected fall in revenues as well as the ongoing reviews of RTÉ governance and plans for reform at the broadcaster.
Minster for Media Catherine Martin was also due to bring RTÉ's 2022 annual report to Cabinet which is understood to show a deficit of €2.8 million for last year.
The latest figures released by the Department of Arts and Media show that in the fourth week of August, the number of people paying their television licence was down by 40 per cent on last year.
Reports in recent weeks have suggested RTÉ will seek a bailout of anywhere between €35 million and €50 million from the Government.
But there is strong resistance among many ministers and senior officials to giving RTÉ what many see as a “blank cheque”, and what one senior Government source characterised on Tuesday as a “reward for bad behaviour”.
A statement from RTÉ said its director-general, Kevin Bakhurst has previously confirmed that the broadcaster submitted a request to the Minister in May for interim funding of €34.5 million.
It said this request followed the recommendation by the Future of Media Commission in its report that RTÉ receive interim funding, but also recognised the considerable increase in the rate of inflation since the publication of the Commission’s report.
RTÉ said it wrote to the Minister again last week to request interim funding with the same figure, €34.5 million being sought.
“RTÉ remains focused on delivering a range of important changes to the operation and culture of the organisation as part of the essential work to restore trust in RTÉ,” it said.
