Kenny: Collier’s AIB role ‘not good practice’

THE Taoiseach said it was “not good practice” that Declan Collier is on the remuneration committee of AIB following controversy over his €100,000 bonus as head of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

But despite failing to give a comprehensive endorsement of his position as public interest director in the state-supported bank, the Government said there is no question of removing him.

A number of semi-state bosses informed the Government they would be sacrificing their bonuses for last year and this year, including RTÉ, TG4, ESB, An Post and Bord Gáis.

Mr Collier bowed to pressure over the weekend and agreed to relinquish his €106,000 bonus for 2010. But Independent TD Shane Ross told the Dáil yesterday it was “absurd” that he was still allowed to act as public interest director and sit on the remuneration committee of AIB following the controversy.

During Leaders’ Questions he told the Taoiseach to consider the position of Mr Collier in AIB.

Mr Kenny responded that: “I find it certainly not good practice, put it that way.”

But the Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore, later told reporters that Mr Collier’s positions in AIB and DAA “are separate roles entirely”.

He said: “We have to acknowledge that he did surrender the bonus. I think that we need to move on from it now.”

Asked if he had confidence in Mr Collier fulfilling his role in the bank, he said: ” I do have confidence in him doing his job.”

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said the issue of confidence “doesn’t arise” and insisted his role in the bank is not related to his role in DAA.

Mr Ross said the case of his bonus payment in the DAA was “a real example of abuse of power at a semi state body having detached itself from the govern”.