RTÉ executives today appeared before an Oireachtas Communication Committee to answer questions on a report published by the station into editorial control over a series about cocaine use.
The controversy stems from the two-part television programme High Society,based on a book written by Justine Delaney-Wilson, who said she had interviewed a politician, an airline pilot and a nun who all admitted to habitually using cocaine.
An internal investigation at the station criticised editorial control during the making of the programme.
The station said its "established controls were not sufficiently exercised" over the programme, which "relied heavily on dramatisations of anonymous source material".
Fine Gael's Simon Coveney asked RTÉ director general Cathal Goan if he would stand over the credibility of Justine Delaney-Wilson as a journalist.
Mr Goan said: "Deputy the way you've put that question is entirely invidious, you've singled out an individual in a way that I don't think is appropriate. What I will say to you is in the context of this programme RTÉ stands over the programme's broadcast."
Labour's Liz McManus asked: "The very first statement written at the very beginning of the first programme of High Society,the statement is made all events and testimonies are true. Can you say that that's the case?
RTÉ managing director of television Noel Curran replied: "Yes, we believe them to be true."
However, Mr Curran admitted the only person who had heard the tape with a minister admitting that he took cocaine was Ms Delaney-Wilson herself.
In a statement released yesterday, RTÉ said that it still believes the author's claim that a Minister admitted on tape that he took cocaine. "Everybody here stands over the veracity of the programme. There is no reason not to," an RTÉ spokeswoman said.