While the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) is at the centre of the top-ups controversy, it is just one of 13 voluntary hospitals and agencies paying bosses extra salaries from “privately funded” sources.

An investment bank is close to a settlement with two groups of nuns, an Irish charity for veterinarians and more than 100 private investors who say they lost €16m in a bond sale.

MORGAN Stanley has moved to deflect responsibility over a bond deal, which has resulted in a number of Irish investors – including two orders of nuns – taking legal action against the US investment bank.