Media Minister Catherine Martin has announced the details of the two external reviews of RTE.
The first will be a review of Governance and Culture in RTE and the second will be a review of Contractor Fees, Human Resources (HR) and other matters.
The Minister said the trust RTE had with the people has been "shattered" and "must be restored".
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The aim of the first review is to "identify any failures or weaknesses in corporate governance or organisational culture" in RTE and make recommendations to the Minister with a view to reform.
The second review will examine the process of external RTE contractors and wider HR practices in RTÉ, including the way in which the state broadcaster engages presenters and the use of agents.
Addressing media at Government Buildings in Dublin following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Ms Martin said the revelations from the Irish national broadcaster have been an "affront to everything that public broadcasting is meant to stand for".
She said: "The independent, root and branch examination of RTÉ I am announcing today is the beginning of our efforts to restore that trust."
Who are the people leading two reviews into RTE following the payments scandal?
Professor Niamh Brennan - Chair
The Minister confirmed the first review into Governance and Culture in RTE will be overseen by Professor Niamh Brennan as Chair along with Dr Margaret Cullen, with a third person to be appointed in the coming days.
The Chair, Professor Niamh Brennan, is the Michael McCormac Professor of Management at University College Dublin and the founder and academic director of the UCD Centre for Corporate Governance.
She qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG, holds a PhD from the University of Warwick and is a Chartered Director of the Institute of Directors (London).
She previously chaired the Irish Government's Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Services and was vice-chair of the Irish Government's Review Group on Auditing.
She is married to former Tánaiste and justice minister and current Senator Michael McDowell.
Brendan McGinty - Chair
The second review of Contractor Fees, Human Resources (HR) and other matters at RTE will be led by Brendan McGinty as Chair, along with Patricia King and a third person yet to be appointed.
The Chair, Brendan McGinty, is a Managing Partner of Stratis Consulting and a leading expert in people strategy, employee relations, employment policy, change management and dispute resolution.
He is Chairperson of the Board of Skillnet Ireland, the national business support agency dedicated to workforce development in Ireland.
Brendan is also Chairperson of the Governing Body of the National College of Ireland and is a member of the Board of the Workplace Relations Commission.
