The registrar of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, the State funded research centre, has been paid £165,000 over the last three years, even though he no longer works there, it was disclosed yesterday.
The Dβil Committee of Public Accounts heard that Mr John Duggan has been suspended on pay of £55,000-a-year since October 1998.
The chairman of the committee, Mr Michael Finucane TD, said this was taxpayers' money and he wanted a dispute between the institute and Mr Duggan "brought to finality" as soon as possible.
In answer to a question from Mr Finucane, Prof Dervilla Donnelly, chairwoman of the institute, said Mr Duggan was paid the money for doing nothing at the institute.
She said the dispute between the institute had "gone on for some time", but she said "justice must be done".
She denied a suggestion by Mr Conor Lenihan TD, that attempts to remove Mr Duggan were due to a "clash of personalities".
She said when the institute suspended Mr Duggan it was because "duties were not being carried out".
Prof Donnelly said Mr Duggan, a former Army officer, was suspended in October 1998 and the council of the institute then sought permission from the Department of Education to remove him from his post.
However in January 1999, the then Minister for Education asked for an inquiry to be undertaken instead.
An independent inquiry was eventually undertaken by senior counsel, Ms Bernadette Cronin, in July of last year.
The findings of this inquiry were considered by the council last December and it sent a recommendation to the Minister for Education.
The nature of the recommendation has not been disclosed.
During this period Mr Duggan took High Court proceedings and a full hearing of the issues is due.
Mr Paddy McDonagh, assistant secretary of the Department of Education, said it was also involved and had taken advice from the Attorney General.
"We are treading through this area very carefully," he said. He said "papers" were being prepared for the Minister, Dr Woods, and a decision on the matter would be made shortly.
Mr Lenihan said the situation was "replete with irony" because "some of the best brains" in the country could not solve the row.
Prof Donnelly said that we should be grateful for the scientists and other researchers the institute had.