Some senior executives in voluntary hospitals and health agencies may be allowed to keep their controversial top-up allowances.
Top-up allowances to senior staff at what are known as Section 38 agencies have been at the heart of the CRC and Rehab controversies in recent months, because they breach public sector pay rules.
According to The Irish Times, the HSE has told some agencies that the payments may be kept if those in receipt can show they have a contractual entitlement to them.
The health service says organisations must prove that the executives' contracts include an entitlement to the payments.
They also reportedly asked that extra payments would not be made to future staff.
The HSE's Director for Human Resources said that if the agencies made their cases, he would engage with the Government on their behalf.
The issue is likely to be raised when senior Health Service staff appear before the PAC later today.