The HSE is to investigate reports that over €2 million in secret top-ups were made to more than a dozen senior members of staff at St John of God.

The report, in the Mail on Sunday, said that managers at the group were paid lump sums totalling around €2 million back in 2013.

As a section 38 charity, in receipt of €130 million from the HSE a year, St John of Gods signed a service level agreement which states it “shall not pay nor subsidise salaries, expenses or other prerequisites which exceed those normally paid within the public sector.”

This evening a HSE spokesperson said "they were informed specifically about these payments last weekend and their National Director for HR will now conduct a full review as a further phase of the work already commenced in 2013".

This investigation will confirm whether St John of God is in compliance with Section 38.