Minister contradicted on IGB chief resignation

Internal communications have directly contradicted the junior agriculture minister’s public assertion that the last chief executive of the Irish Greyhound Board left his job because of money.

In February, junior minister Tom Hayes told the Seanad that the former CEO, Adrian Neilan, rejected a new contract because his salary would be cut.

“He was offered the position for another two years but he did not accept that because Government policy is to cut the salaries of chief executive officers,” said Mr Hayes.

However communications between the department and the IGB in the days and weeks leading up to Mr Neilan’s decision clearly state that neither the €30,000 pay cut nor the reduction in entitlements were issues for Mr Neilan.

On December 16, 2013, Mr Neilan told the board he was leaving despite Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney successfully lobbying the Department of Public Expenditure to break public appointment rules to keep him in place.

Mr Coveney did this after repeated pleas by the IGB for a relaxation of the rules so that Mr Neilan could be there to implement its five-year strategy to make it financially stable.

Just four days before Mr Neilan turned down the two-year extension the IGB chairman, Phil Meaney, made it clear the terms were acceptable.

“I wish to confirm the conditions laid out in your letter of the 5th of December 2013 are acceptable to the Board of Bord na gCon and to Mr Adrian Neilan,” Mr Meaney said in an email to senior inspector in the department, Gerry Greally.

This was reaffirmed in an email from Mr Greally two days before Mr Neilan’s decision.

All this restated an earlier letter, from October 30, which explicitly said that Mr Neilan and his company would be happy to accept the terms on offer.

“The Board of Bord na gCon has discussed with Adrian Neilan that any extension to his contract can only be considered on the basis of a reduced salary of €132,920 p.a. Mr Neilan has confirmed that he would be willing to accept a salary of €132,920,” the letter from Mr Meaney said.

Ten days prior to this letter, the Department of Public Expenditure had told colleagues in Agriculture a stronger case would have to be made to justify breaking the rules limiting the term time of semi-state CEOs.

“It appears the only reasons put forward for this two year extension are the simple need to facilitate the implementation of the Bord na gCon Strategic Plan 2013-2017 and the good working relationship between the chairman and Mr Neilan,” it said.

The department was asked if Mr Hayes was happy to stand over his comments to the Seanad and the statement Mr Neilan left because of pay.

However, it said it would make no comment beyond the contents of the Freedom of Information request.

Mr Neilan, now commercial director at Trinity College, was contacted but had not commented at the time of going to press.