Massive pay hikes across State boards

CHAIRPERSONS of boards of State bodies will be paid more than the average industrial wage for what is essentially part-time work following a Government decision to increase their remuneration.

The average industrial wage is currently less than €32,000. But the top-earning chairpersons will now earn €35,000 a year, up from €19,046, after the Cabinet passed the increases proposed by Finance Minister Brian Cowen yesterday.

These include the chairs of Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority, An Post, Bord Gáis, the Central Bank, CIE, ESB, the Health Service Executive, the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, and RTÉ.

The boards of State bodies are divided into four categories depending on the pay of their chief executives, this being considered an objective assessment of the “relative importance and complexity” of the organisation.

Aer Lingus and the other aforementioned bodies form category one. The increases will not, however, be confined to board chairpersons.

Board directors, who also work on a part-time basis, will be in line for pay hikes too, going from just under €12,700 a year to €17,500.

Category two includes An Bord Bia, An Post, Bord na Móna, Coillte, the Cork Airport Authority, the Courts Service, Dublin Bus, Dublin Docklands Development Authority, Dublin Port Company, Eirgrid, Enterprise Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland, Shannon Airport Authority, VHI and more.

The remuneration of chairpersons of these boards will rise from €15,236 to €24,000, while board members’ pay will go from €10,157 to €14,000.

Category three includes the Adoption Board, Bord na gCon, the Equality Authority, the Food Safety Authority, the Garda Complaints Board, the Health and Safety Authority, the Legal Aid Board, the National Roads Authority and others.

Chairpersons’ pay rises from €10,157 to €14,000, while board members’ remuneration will go from €6,348 to €9,000.

Category four includes State bodies such as the Arts Council, Bord Glas, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, the Combat Poverty Agency and the Irish Film Board.

Chairpersons will now get €10,500, up from €7,618, while board members will receive €7,000, up from €5,078.

The Government defended the pay increases last night, saying they reflected the increased commitment now involved with such positions and the calibre of people appointed to them.