The HSE is investigating allegations that hospital staff accepted holidays and gifts from a medical supplier.
Concerns that some staff at St Vincent's University Hospital and the Beacon Hospital in Dublin received expensive gifts and passed on sensitive information to the supplier, were highlighted on RTE's Primetime last night.
A statement from the HSE this morning confirmed an investigation has been launched and no payments will be made to Eurosurgical "until further notice" by any HSE bodies.
Chief Executive of the Irish Medical and Surgical Trade Association, Justin Carty, says the activities alleged in the programme are strictly prohibited:
The Beacon Hospital says it takes the allegations extremely seriously and has placed one employee on leave until further notice, while it carries out an internal investigation.
In a statement, St. Vincent's hospital says it is also carrying out an internal investigation.
It says it has put two staff off duty with immediate effect and that it is investigating all aspects of the hospital's relationship with the supplier company involved.
