Vol. 482 No. 6
114 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will take an active role in the terms of pay and conditions to chief executives of semi-State companies under the aegis of her Department; and if she will outline her involvement, if any, in these matters since her appointment to date in 1997. [18561/97]
In general the remuneration levels of chief executives of State companies are primarily matters for the Minister for Finance. At present, remuneration packages are set in the overall context of Report No. 35 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector (the Gleeson report). Report No. 37 (the Buckley report) recommends, inter alia, a new approach to pay determination for chief executives. It is subject to ongoing consideration between the responsible Ministers, the Minister for Finance and ultimately the Government.
The Deputy will also be aware that in certain exceptional circumstances personal remuneration packages have been approved for chief executives. In such cases the package is submitted for approval to my colleague, the Minister for Finance, following full consideration in my Department.
As regards my direct involvement to date, it is public knowledge that in the absence of approval by the Government to the implementation of the Buckley report, I intervened to ensure that the ESB did not anticipate such approval by de facto implementing it in the recruitment of the new chief executive.
