Rehab CEO Angela Kerins has told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the salaries of executive in the organisation re 20% below the market median.

She said her controversial €240,000 salary was not paid out of HSE public funding, which is the subject of today's PAC meeting, and stressed that Rehab was not a State-run body.

Ms Kerins did not clarify whether she received a €6,000 salary rise in recent years. She said she was not paid from taxpayer funds and would not provide any further information on her remuneration.

The Rehab CEO defended the fact that Rehab's legal representatives had checked in advance about what would be discussed at today's PAC meeting.

HSE Director General Tony O'Brien said the HSE provided over €50 million to two Rehab companies.

Mr O'Brien said it was important that all agencies in receipt of public funding should have due regard for Government pay policy, even though they are not public servants like Section 38 employees.

He said the HSE was currently verifying and validating remuneration in voluntary agencies, with a priority focus on the larger Section 39 agencies like Rehab.

It was hoped to have a report on this by the end of March, Mr O'Brien said.

PAC member Mary Lou McDonald said people were shocked at the level of Ms Kerins' salary.