State Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2010

Thursday, 9 December 2010

Questions (32)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

55 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Transport if he has received an annual report for each of the past three years from the chairman of all State bodies under the auspices of his Department; if the pay of chief executives and employees of such bodies is fully in accordance with Government policy; if he will list any such bodies where this requirement under the code of practice for the governance of State bodies has not been met or no report has been received; if he will provide full details of such issues in such reports and if these reports will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46717/10]

Written answers

Minister for Transport (Deputy Noel Dempsey)

It is the responsibility of the Boards of the relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department to agree terms and conditions (including remuneration) of their respective Chief Executives. However, these are subject to the agreement of the Minister for Finance in conjunction with the Minister for Transport. The Minister for Finance indicated in his Budget speech that the Government believes there should be a maximum salary rate of €250,000 in the public sector including the State Agencies. While there are issues about the contractual position of incumbent post holders, the position of the State as a shareholder or statutory stakeholder in these companies can be used to enforce the objective of the maximum salary within a reasonable timeframe. It is worth stating also that the Chief Executive Officers of the non-commercial bodies have already been subject to the salary reductions provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No.2) Act 2009.