The Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) has confirmed that money donated for it by the public is being used to top-up salaries of some its senior staff.

In a statement, it said the funds were raised by a separate company called the Friends and Supporters of the Remedial Clinic.

It admitted the extra salary amounts were in excess of the Department of Health's official salary scales.

The CRC was one of many health agencies named by the HSE at the Public Accounts Committee yesterday as non-compliant with official pay policy through paying top ups over many years.

The Clinic said the money contained in the fund used for top-ups is generated from a share of the operation of a lottery.

Labour TD for Dublin Mid West, Robert Dowds, said the reputation and fundraising capacity of the CRC would be damaged if it did not immediately address the issue of funding and top-up payments. He pointed out that there had recently been cutbacks at the CRC.

To date, only seven out of 42 health agencies have been deemed fully compliant with pay rules for senior managers.

The CRC revelation will increase public unease about the use of some medical charity funding and will again raise questions on where 'private funding' for top-ups in some agencies comes from.

It has already been stated that monies from some hospital fundraising bodies, such as the Children's Medical Research Foundation at Crumlin Hospital, the Friends of the Rotunda and the National Maternity Hospital (Holles Street) Foundation have not been used for hospital top-up pay.

However, it is still unclear from which sources non-HSE funding for top-ups at agencies such as Holles Street and the Rotunda actually derived.

'Pay compliance claims not valid'

Holles St not pay compliant - HSE