The Health Service Executive (HSE) said today that its senior staff are to receive bonuses worth a total of €1.4 million, in respect of their work during 2007.
However, the HSE said the bonus to be awarded to its chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm was "still under consideration" by the board.
Those eligible for bonuses under the performance-related award scheme in the health sector are the chief executive, national directors, assistant national directors and hospital network managers.
The scheme was introduced on recommendation of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector accepted by the Government.
In a statement confirming the amount of the bonuses to be awarded, the HSE said the scheme was operated "using strongly focused goals and targets which are specific and measurable".
The bonus payments were agreed upon by the executive's remuneration committee earlier this year.
Last year, controversy abounded when top managers in the HSE received a cumulative total of €1.15 million in performance-related bonus payments in respect of 2006.
Prof Brendan Drumm received a bonus of €80,000 on top of his salary of around €370,000.
Fine Gael today expressed outrage over suggestions that senior managers could be awarded bonuses at a time when cutbacks were taking place in the health service.
“This is an absolute insult to all the people who have paid for but do not get the health service they deserve and the frontline staff who are struggling under ever increasing cutbacks demanded by HSE Head Office, said Fine Gael Health spokesperson Dr James Reilly.
"It is unthinkable for front line services to be slashed, and ordinary taxpayers made to pay for fat bonuses for health chiefs. The Government was quick to protect banks who engaged in risky lending practices for years; they must not be slow about telling HSE management that financial priorities lie in front line services, not bonuses,” he added.
The Labour Party said the reports were "absolutely astounding".
"How can HSE bosses now have the moral authority to justify the swingeing cuts in services that seem almost inevitable in the weeks and months ahead, if they themselves are lining their own pockets at taxpayers expense?," said the party's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan.
"Given that the HSE already has a €200 million shortfall this year, it blows my mind to think that they would even think of doing this. It is irresponsible in the extreme and I can?t see any reason why they should be given these bonuses."
The Irish Patients' Association said it would be difficult to defend such performance-related payments for senior HSE staff, particularly when the country was in the grip of an economic crisis.
IPA chairman Stephen McMahon said cutbacks to frontline services and difficulties experienced by patients meant the public must be told why these bonuses are being given.
“It’s very difficult to award bonuses to individuals when there are shortfalls that the man on the street can see,” he said.
“And it’s very difficult to justify bonuses when there’s such enormous economic strain on the system."
Additional reporting: PA