Vol. 491 No. 6
42 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will authorise Aer Lingus to offer a special contract as remuneration for the replacement chief executive of Aer Lingus; whether it is her intention to await the report to the consultants (details supplied) before deciding on the level of pay for the Aer Lingus chief executive and other chief executives of semi State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12800/98]
Deputies will be aware that, on 25 March 1998, the Government announced its decision on the recommendations contained in Report No. 37 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector. In so far as the pay of chief executives is concerned, the Government decided that the revised pay arrangements recommended by the review body in relation to the basic salary of chief executives of commercial State bodies should be modified. It was felt that, in the interests of greater co-ordination, any revised arrangements should apply to all such bodies and not to individual bodies on a piecemeal basis. Accordingly, independent consultants were appointed by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to carry out an in depth review of the chief executive positions of all commercial State bodies. The position in relation to the remuneration of the chief executive of Aer Lingus is included in that review. When that work has been completed, the conclusions arrived at will be examined by the Government and decisions will be taken as to the appropriate rate for each such body. I understand that the consultants are expected to conclude their work in the near future.
