Reilly: Top-up pay likely to go beyond health service

Investigations into top-up payments to state-funded agencies are expected to widen beyond health following demands that other ministers examine their own agencies.

Health Minister James Reilly told the Dáil he was sure his Cabinet colleagues would examine the issue from their own perspective. He also denied claims by the former chairman of the Central Remedial Clinic, accountant Des Peelo, that health chiefs agreed to payments to charity officials.

Dr Reilly said senior managers of agencies or bodies were subject to pay policies similar to frontline staff. He outlined how the HSE was investigating payments to health-linked agencies following revelations the CRC used its charity funds to pay large top-ups to managers. The probe would include so-called section 39 agencies or part state-funded bodies, he said.