The Department of Finance has confirmed that members of the expert commission established by the Government to advise on taxation policy are each being paid between €700 and €1,000 for every full-day meeting.
The Commission on Taxation, was set up last year and has 17 members, including representatives of the main social partners.
The chairman of the group, former Revenue head Frank Daly, receives €1,000 for every full-day meeting. The other members receive €700 for each full-day meeting.
They include the economist and former adviser to Brian Cowen, Colin Hunt, and IBEC's Danny McCoy. Also on the commission are SIPTU's Brendan Hayes, and Tom Arnold, head of Concern.
The Department of Finance could not say exactly how many meetings the commission has had, but says the group has met approximately twice a month since it was set up in 2008 and will meet more often as it aims to complete its report by July.
The department has also defended the amount paid to members, saying it was not unreasonable given the high calibre of the individuals involved. But, Labour's Joan Burton has criticised the awards, saying workers would find them stunning and depressing.
The figures, which were released to RTE under the Freedom of Information Act, also show that Colm McCarthy, who is advising the Government on how to save money in the public sector, is set to receive €35,000 for his work.
However, SIPTU Vice President Brendan Hayes said this evening that he receives nothing for his services to the Commission.
'I have made it clear to the Commission Secretariat that I do not wish to receive any money for my involvement in the Commission,'he said in statement .
'From the time I was appointed to the Commission up to the present date I have made no claims and have received no monies from the Commission. Nor will I be making any claims or be accepting any monies for serving on this Commission,'he added.
