Vol. 559 No. 1
368 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 354 of 3 December 2002, if he will provide details of all fees and expenses paid to the chairpersons of each of the State companies within his remit for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25840/02]
There are currently three semi-State companies under the aegis of my Department – Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus and CIE. Details of the fees and expenses paid to the chairpersons of each body are as follows:
For the three years prior to 1 January 2001, the annual fee payable in the case of the chairpersons of Aer Rianta and Aer Lingus was €9,523.03 as authorised by the then Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance. With effect from 1 January 2001 the annual fee rate authorised in each case is €19,046.07.
In addition to the annual fee set out, the chairperson of Aer Lingus is entitled to claim an allowance of €635 per day for each day's attendance in excess of the normal requirement of one day per week. This was agreed in December 2001, from date of appointment, in recognition of the sustained level of commitment required from the chairperson in steering Aer Lingus through its difficulties. This daily allowance operates up to a ceiling of €63,487 per annum.
As part of the survival plan, the directors of Aer Lingus, including the chairperson, agreed to waive payment of fees from late 2001 to October 2003.
The current chairperson of CIE was appointed as executive chairperson on 28 March, 2000 on a fee of €101,579.05 per annum based on a three and half day week. However, from 28 March 2000 until 1 October, 2000, the date he ceased to hold office as director general of FÁS, a fee of €9,523.04 per annum was applied pro rata.
With effect from the 5 June, 2002, the Government approved a fee of €160,000 for the executive chairperson of CIE based on a full working week.
