Figures from VHI Healthcare show that consultants received an average payment of nearly €86,000 last year for treating private patients.
Around 30 consultants earned over €500,000, according to the figures provided by VHI to RTÉ News.
The insurer said overall payments have reduced by around 16% since 2009, when the average payment per consultant was €102,800.
VHI Healthcare paid €258m to consultants or locum consultants last year.
Half of consultants earned less than €50,000 and 71% earned less than €100,000.
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association said the figures were gross VHI payments, from which consultants pay the costs of staff, premises, equipment, clinical indemnity insurance and other expenses, all of which remain high.
IHCA Secretary General Martin Varley said consultants' incomes from health insurers, after deducting their practice costs, are a fraction of the gross VHI payment figures quoted.
Professor John Crown said the figures underlined the need for more specialists to be appointed.
The Senator and consultant oncologist said that with more consultants, waiting lists would fall, patients would get a better service and individual consultants would make less money.
VHI Healthcare has just over 3,000 hospital consultants on its records.
Consultants also earn private fees from Aviva and Quinn health insurers.
The average consultant in Ireland is also paid a basic public salary of around €180,000, excluding allowances.
Some consultants choose contracts under which they do not perform any private work.
