Noonan wades into row over culture boss

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has come out in support of the beleaguered CEO of Limerick City of Culture 2014, Patricia Ryan, whose appointment earlier this month has caused a storm of protest.

Limerick’s city manager, Conn Murray, was strongly criticised at Monday night’s meeting of Limerick City Council for making the appointment without advertising the position.

It has emerged that over the first six months of this year Ms Ryan worked on a consultancy basis for a total of 54 days at a rate of €700 a day — giving her earnings of €37,800.

Ms Ryan previously worked in the European Parliament with Pat Cox, who is chairman of the city of culture board. She subsequently worked as an adviser to former health minister Mary Harney.

During Monday’s city council meeting, Labour Cllr Tom Shortt said the appointment should have been made from within the arts sector. He added: “But we recruited somebody who is essentially, and it is very evident, a political appointee — somebody who is being looked after, for a cushy number with a salary.”

In a dramatic intervention yesterday, Mr Noonan told the Irish Examiner: “I think Patricia Ryan is a very good appointment. There comes a point in a process that unless a decision is made, you don’t progress as you would have planned.”

He said he supported the board’s decision to move ahead with an appointment.

The City of Culture yesterday gave details to the Irish Examiner of payments to Ms Ryan since she started work with the board last January.

As well as the €37,800 earned in the six-month period, Dublin-based Ms Ryan claimed €4,634 in mileage expenses.

A spokesman for the City of Culture board said Ms Ryan frequently stayed overnight, but did not claim any overnight allowance as she stayed with a relative.

Since July Ms Ryan was retained on a project manager basis, up to her appointment as CEO on Nov 4. No payment has been made to her since July and details of pay for that period were not yet available.

It is believed that negotiations between Ms Ryan and the board on a remuneration package are nearing completion and that this will involve an annual sum of less than €100,000.

Mr Murray has said the decision to put Ms Ryan’s name to the board was his and his alone.