Updated 12.15
The Director-General of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed they have told some staff in hospitals and agencies who get top-up salaries to prove they are entitled to them.
Tony O'Brien has told the Public Accounts Committee that 143 individuals are concerned and it has been so difficult for some of them that they have left their jobs.
He says where a claim of a contractual entitlement is cited, the HSE is demanding proof of same. If the proof is provided, the extra payments may be permitted.
Top-up allowances to senior staff at what are known as Section 38 agencies have been at the heart of recent controversies surrounding the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) and Rehab, where public sector pay rules appeared to have been breached.
And Mr. O'Brien highlighted to Labour Deputy Robert Dowds how slow this process has been with some cases.
Officials from the HSE are taking questions from TDs at the Public Accounts Committee.
The Irish Times Industrial Correspondent Martin Wall, speaking to Newstalk Breakfast ahead of the Committee, said if the government wants top-ups to end they will have to legislate for that:
The HSE has reportedly demanded that extra payments are not made to future staff.
