State Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Questions (869, 870, 875, 898, 902)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

869. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he is aware that the contract of the Chief Executive Officer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company (details supplied), is renewed on a yearly basis; if he will confirm that neither he, his Department, nor the Harbour Company have adhered to a document salary range for newly appointed Chief Executive Officers of commercial State - sponsored bodies which was issued by the Government and effective since 2008, whereby the person's salary as Chief Executive Officer should have been reduced by 10% per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23214/15]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

870. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he is aware that the Chief Executive Officer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company receives a basic salary of €136,000 and the Chief Executive Officers of New Ross Port Company, Wicklow Port Company, Galway Harbour Company, and Drogheda Port Company are employed under the salary range Chief Executive Officers of commercial State-sponsored bodies and receive a salary range from €97,626 to €60,654; if he will confirm that under the Government's proposal to designate the above ports as Ports of Regional Significance and that the Chief Executive Officer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company's renumeration will be reduced to the salary range of the other designated ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23215/15]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

875. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport further to this Deputy's previous Parliamentary Question and his reply regarding the Chief Executive Officer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company receiving €19,877 in lieu of annual leave, if he accepts that under the Organisation of Working Time Act it is illegal for someone to sell an entitlement to annual leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23220/15]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

898. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1032 of 26 May 2015 and his response that his Department raised this matter with the incoming Chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, who was on the Audit Committee at the time, appointed in 2013; and given that the previous Chairperson authorised this payment, if he will confirm whether the previous chairperson (details supplied) consulted the Board prior to payment; if so when this consultation took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23626/15]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

902. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport further to previous a Parliamentary Question with regard to the Chief Executive Officer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company (details supplied), receiving a payment of €19,877 for selling back annual leave, and given that the current directors are also on the audit committee of the Harbour Company which agreed this, if he will now accept that their positions are untenable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23630/15]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 869, 870, 875, 898 and 902 together.

The salary range for CEOs in commercial State Bodies was revised upwards in 2008 to reflect national pay awards at that time. The Department of Finance direction to this Department in 2008 set out the individual salary ranges for CEOs of each of our commercial State bodies, including for the Harbour companies referenced by the Deputy. In the case of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, the salary range set by the Department of Finance was from €130,165 to €162,680. The CEO is on the lower end of that range and is not on a contract that is annually renewed. There are no current proposals to reduce the CEO's salary and I do not know the basis for the Deputy's reference to a requirement for a reduction of 10% per annum.

Regarding the payment in lieu of untaken annual leave, the Chairperson explained at the time to my predecessor that the decision to pay the CEO in lieu of annual leave was taken having regard to exceptional circumstances at the time. The Chair acknowledged my Department's view that it disagreed with the decision and confirmed that this situation would not arise again.

The matters raised by the Deputy relating to the consultations by the Chairperson and Board members prior to the above mentioned payment and compliance with the working time legislation is a matter for the Board and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions on these matters to the Chairperson for direct response to the Deputy. If the Deputy does not receive a response within 10 working days, he should contact my private office.