Chairman of ethics board paid almost €50,000

THE chairman of the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) was paid almost €50,000 to lead the six-person ethics board last year.

Mr Justice Michael P Smith is in his second term as SIPO chairman and was entitled to a daily rate of €494.05, subject to a maximum of 100 days’ pay.

This was lower than the daily rate of €526 he was allowed to take home in 2009.