State body appointees linked to coalition

A SITTING Labour councillor and a former Fine Gael party official have been appointed as directors to a state agency by Environment Minister Phil Hogan.

The latest political appointees come after a series of recent controversies surrounding appointments to Government agencies.

Labour councillor Jenny McHugh and accountant Mari Hurley were both appointed as directors of Pobal, a state agency that fosters social inclusion, last week after their positions were signed off by the cabinet.

Ms McHugh contested the 2011 general election in Meath for Labour, while Ms Hurley is a former chairperson of Fine Gael’s national executive.

Their appointments now bring to four the number of directors with political links who have been appointed to its board by the coalition in recent months.

Pobal confirmed the appointments but said both Ms McHugh and Ms Hurley would work as directors in a voluntary capacity and receive no fees.

However, both will be able to submit travel, accommodation and food expenses.

“Directors are paid travelling, subsistence, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in attending and returning from meetings of the directors or any committee of the directors or general meeting of the company or in connection with the business of the company,” the department agency said.

“The travel and subsistence costs paid to directors are in accordance with current civil service rates.”

Mayo-born councillor Ms McHugh was a Labour candidate in Meath West at the last general election.

She has served on Meath County Council since June 2009, representing the Navan area. The mother-of-seven is also the principal of St Stephen’s NS in Johnstown, Navan.

Ms Hurley qualified as an accountant in 1996. Before that, she was a financial director with estate agents Sherry FitzGerald, whose chief executive is Mark FitzGerald, son of the late Fine Gael taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.

She has been a member of past Fine Gael election campaign teams, previously chaired the party’s national executive council and was appointed to a party commission on public services in 2008 by Enda Kenny.

She is now chief financial officer with Web Reservations International, a group providing online accommodation bookings.

Ms McHugh said last night: “I’ve worked very hard for communities and this [appointment] helps cement that. If I travel to different places and get mileage, I think that’s fair.”

Ms Hurley could not be contacted yesterday.

The names of the two appointees were initially not given to the media and the eventual release of their details to the Irish Examiner failed to mention their political links.

Their positions follow criticism of several recent political appointments.

Both Fine Gael and Labour have repeatedly pledged to reform the political system and to put a stop to political patronage.