Coillte fought department to pay bonuses to CEO

Details have emerged of an extraordinary row between Coillte and the Department of Agriculture over the forestry company’s effort to pay its departing chief executive back-dated bonuses.

Last March, Coillte decided to pay David Gunning bonuses that were stopped because of the recession. The move was blocked at the last minute following the angry intervention of the department.

It is not known how much Coillte had decided to pay. His maximum entitlement would have been close to €385,000.