Government Ministers will wait until after next week's final episode of RTÉ television's Rip Off Republic series before deciding whether to make an official complaint that the programme was unfair.
Ministers and backbenchers from the two Coalition parties have been angered by the tone and content of the programme, presented by Eddie Hobbs, which they say unfairly blames the Government for high prices.
Minister of State for Health Tim O'Malley is among those who have said publicly that he believes the programmes have been one-sided and unfair to the Coalition.
The third episode, on transport costs, was broadcast last night. The final programme will go out next Monday and covers the world of work including the cost of childcare, pensions, tax, benchmarking and the minimum wage.
The Cabinet will hold its first meeting since its summer break tomorrow. The issue is not on the agenda for discussion but it is likely to feature in informal conversations between Ministers.
While some Ministers and Government advisers have been deeply angered at what they claim is the programme's anti-Government bias, others are cautioning against being seen to take on a programme which has been hugely popular with the viewing public over the summer.
Some backbenchers have complained privately that Ministers should be more active in countering claims made on the programme. Government advisers are cautious about such an approach, fearing that a ministerial response could not compete with the impact of such a populist programme, and might only make matters worse for the Government.
But Fianna Fáil Senator Donie Cassidy will draw further attention to the programme tomorrow when he gives an Oireachtas committee figures which he says dispute some of the information presented as fact on the show.
O'Reilly Consultants, who have recently been advising the Oireachtas Enterprise Committee on the Groceries Order, have examined statistics about the order used on the programme and find them to differ from figures they produced themselves.
Rip Off Republic was highly critical of the Groceries Order which prevents below cost selling, or the passing on of bulk buying discounts to consumers. The programme depicted this order as having the sole function of boosting the profits of retailers at the expense of consumers.
An RTÉ spokeswoman said yesterday the station would not respond to criticism from the Government parties at this stage but would allow the four programmes to run and to "speak for themselves". They would engage in debate after the series concluded, the spokeswoman said.