Celia Larkin gets €14k for consumer agency board membership last year

CELIA LARKIN, the former partner of ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern walked away with just more than €14,000 last year for her membership of the board of the National Consumer Agency (NCA)

She attended five meetings in the year, according to the agency’s annual report.

The NCA paid out just more than €14,000 in expenses to nine board members last year.

Ms Larkin, whose appointment to the board was subject to controversy in 2005, was paid €13,184 in fees in 2009 and claimed €923 in expenses.

Consumer guru Eddie Hobbs, who resigned from the board in April last year, in part because of Ms Larkin’s presence on the board, was paid €5,834 but didn’t claim expenses. Mr Hobbs attended three meetings last year.

Also on the board is former Cork Chamber of Commerce president Robin O’Sullivan who was paid €13,184 in the year and claimed €902 in expenses. He attended six meetings.

Last year Mr Hobbs resigned from his role with the NCA partly due to what he called “damage as a consequence of media attention on one member of the board” — referring to Ms Larkin.

Revelations from the Mahon tribunal, and the matter of a “soft loan” from Irish Nationwide were instrumental in his request t Ms Larkin step down, according to reports. Mr Hobbs also said at the time of his resignation that board members of the NCA are paid too much.

The NCA annual report also shows chief executive, Ann Fitzgerald was paid €186,190 in the year and claimed €3,357 in expenses. Chairman of the board Stephen Costello was paid €22,600 in fees last year and claimed €3,453 expenses.