Chief Executives at semi-State companies like Bord Gáis, the ESB and the Dublin Airport Authority are facing possible pay cuts.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has ordered a review of what semi-State bosses are paid.
Unlike the public sector, staff at semi-State bodies escaped the pension levy and pay cuts imposed Mr Lenihan.
However, in his 2009 Budget, Minister Lenihan appealed to the highest earners in the semi-State sector to take a voluntary pay cut.
He now wants to review pay, bonuses and pension arrangements for top management at semi-State companies.
ESB Chief Executive Padraig McManus was paid €750,000 last year, according to the company's annual report, despite taking a 10% pay cut.
Bosses at An Post and the DAA also earned around €500,000 each.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar has published the findings of what he calls a detailed survey of the Irish semi-State sector.
According to Mr Varadkar, there is an annual turnover of almost €10 billion in the sector, however only six of the biggest commercial companies paid a dividend to the State.
Deputy Varadkar says he was disappointed that some semi-State companies were less forthcoming than others when it came to revealing pay scales and details of how they have cut costs in recent times.
