RTÉ is facing an unprecedented financial crisis and staff have been warned that its capacity to deliver its public responsibilities is “severely compromised”.

In a note to staff, RTÉ director-general Dee Forbes warned that RTÉ will face continued pressure as a result of commercial revenues and public funding remaining “significantly below” what is needed to operate RTÉ in its current form.

She said the broadcaster’s financial situation is unlike anything it has seen before.

Ms Forbes welcomed the decision by the Government to tender for a TV licence collection service. However, she said that the decision to defer the implementation of a revised broadcast media- charge system “means that the crisis in the funding of public service media will continue”.

“With reform now pushed out further, RTÉ’s capacity to deliver against its existing remit is severely compromised,” Ms Forbes told staff.

She said commercial revenues and public funding are “significantly below” what is needed to operate RTÉ in its current form.

“As a result, it will no longer be possible to continue as we are,” said Ms Forbes.

In its published accounts for 2018, RTÉ confirmed that it had returned an operating deficit for the fourth year in a row.

The cost of special events like the papal visit, the presidential election and the coverage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup saw RTÉ return a net deficit of €13m, prompting the director general to warn that RTÉ would struggle to sustain its public service responsibilities.

In her note to staff, she said that the RTÉ executive and the RTÉ board has been reassessing everything the broadcaster does and what it can continue to do in the future.

“This review is almost complete and we will share details with you as soon as we practically can,” said Ms Forbes.

It is expected that these details will be made available to RTÉ staff in October.