Geraldine Kennedy: in row with journalist.

IRISH TIMES editor Geraldine Kennedy and managing director Maeve Donovan were each paid a basic salary of 296,000 last year, less than two years after the newspaper’s financial crisis and near-collapse that saw approximately 250 job losses.

The newspaper refused to disclose individual details of bonuses and pension contributions, but the eight executive directors of the company, including Ms Kennedy and Ms Donovan, received average bonuses of 72,000 and pension contributions of almost 57,000. Executive directors also received 8,751 in directors’ fees.

Details of the 3.3 million payments to directors at the Irish Times last year were released in a letter to SIPTU, the trade union, on Tuesday. The letter said the newspaper was unable to provide details of payments to former editor Conor Brady on grounds of confidentiality.