New figures show that Ireland has fewer doctors, fewer beds and more nurses than the average across the 34 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
On average hospital consultant here earned €170,784 last year in public work alone, according to the OECD report.
The figures for consultants exclude emergency call-out and on-call fees, which range between €2,430 and €22,303 a year, as well as any private practice income a consultant may have.
The average income for GPs is put at €118,677 for last year.
GP income is based on self-assessed income tax declared to the Revenue Commissioners.
The average income for a nurse is €51,202.
The figures for consultants, GPs and nurses are gross annual income.
The OECD Health Statistics 2014 report says that in 2012 total health spending in Ireland was slightly less than the OECD average.
It says that most reductions in public spending have been achieved through cuts in wages and fees paid to health professionals and drug companies.
The OECD suggests that health spending in Ireland has started to rise again in real terms but at a very modest rate.
The OECD takes this view despite the fact that €4bn in cuts have been applied to the health service since 2008.
