The Dáil Public Accounts Committee wants the recruitment process for the next Secretary General at the Department of Health to be stalled.
Members agreed at a meeting this afternoon that they wanted a full review of the remuneration package, which would see the salary to increase by €81,000.
The committee has now set out its position in a letter to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Before the meeting, Sinn Féin TD Matt Carty told RTÉ News that he believes the Dáil's financial watchdog will agree to send a letter to the Department of Public Expenditure due to concerns over a proposed increase in the salary from €211,000 to €292,000.
Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy, who is the PAC Vice Chair, told RTÉ News it was "hard not see how the proposed enormous pay increase will not have knock-on consequences. It also has a Celtic Tiger feel to it - top-down extravagance".
It is understood that at its last meeting, PAC members were in agreement that a letter should be sent, and the recruitment process stalled, because there was no clear rationale for the wage increase.
However, in a letter subsequently sent to PAC members, which has been seen by RTÉ News, the Committee Clerk cites Standing Order 93B(6) and says that the proposed letter "could be interpreted as a contravention".
At today's meeting, the PAC could either vote to send the letter, irrespective of the advice given to the committee, or wait to get more information from the Committee on Remit Oversight.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform said the Public Service Stability Agreement has been fully adhered to in relation to the movement of the Secretary General of his department to the interim position as Secretary General at the Department of Health.
Minister Michael McGrath told the Budgetary Oversight committee that an open and competitive recruitment process for the Department of Health role is currently under way and the terms and conditions of the position have been advertised.
Mr McGrath said he does not know who has applied for the job, or how many candidates have applied, but it is governed by the Public Appointments Service and the top level appointments committee.
He added that there are no plans for any other salary changes in the context of any other secretaries general vacancies that will arise in the months ahead.
Fianna Fáil committee member Marc MacSharry said it was "outrageous and totally unacceptable" that the recruitment process would continue with so many questions ongoing.
A former secretary general at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Robert Watt, has been moved to the Department of Health on a temporary basis as Acting Secretary General.
He is being paid his existing salary.
