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Former CRC CEO Paul Kiely followed by now former chairman James Nugent at Leinster House last month. Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Former CRC chief’s retirement package may be more than previously disclosed

The Public Accounts Committee will hear further details about the top-up scandal at the Central Remedial Clinic tomorrow morning.

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL of the HSE has said that “serious matters” have arisen regarding the retirement package of Paul Kiely, the former chief executive of the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), indicating he may be in receipt of more than was previously disclosed.

In a letter to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC), seen by TheJournal.ie, Tony O’Brien has said that the interim administrator at the scandal-hit CRC – whose entire board resigned last month – has briefed him on “significant issues relating to the final salary payment/retirement package approved by the Board of Governors of the CRC for Mr Kiely”.

The PAC will hear further details about the internal workings of the north Dublin clinic when Kiely’s successor as chief executive Brian Conlan – who has since resigned himself – appears before TDs tomorrow to answer questions about the top-up scandal.

O’Brien writes that “an amount” – which is not specified in the letter but may become clear tomorrow – was paid to a pension fund “to ensure that Mr Kiely’s pension/lump sum benefits would not be less” than if he (Kiely) had continued to remain as chief executive until November 2016.

The letter states that the payments could not be made without funds from the CRC’s charitable arm, the Friends and Supporters of the CRC and suggests that what the interim administrator has uncovered “seem to be considerably at variance” from what the PAC was informed of at hearings with the now-resigned CRC board last month.

On 11 December, the PAC heard that Kiely’s salary for his final year as CEO in 2012 was €242,000 in total, with €106,000 coming from public funds and €136,000 being drawn from funds collected by the charitable arm of the organisation.

‘Complicated’

Kiely disclosed at that time that he got a €200,000 lump sum payment – drawn from the charity fund – when he retired and will receive a pension of €90,000 per annum.

Kiely denied he had been getting a ‘top-up’, telling the committee that he was employed by the CRC and that was the salary paid to him by his employer and describing his pension arrangements as “complicated”.

In the letter to the PAC chairman John McGuinness, O’Brien writes that he arrangements “raise a number of serious matters relating to the CRC’s Memorandum of Association, the cost of the package to the CRC/Friends and Supports (sic) of the CRC and the payment calculations not being fully adjusted for the public sector pay cuts”.

He says that these arrangements “seem to be considerably at variance from the understanding the committee may have gained from evidence given at the hearing by representatives of the CRC Board of Governors”.

O’Brien concludes that it is now necessary for the CRC to satisfy itself that payments made and benefits conferred are “reasonable and proper” and that any amounts that were paid were calculated and authorised.

“In the event of there being a loss to the CRC (or the Friends and Supporters of the CRC) steps to make good that loss will require (sic) to be taken,” O’Brien writes.

A spokesperson for the Health Service Executive declined to comment on the letter this evening, saying there will further discussion of the issues raised in it at the Public Accounts Committee hearings tomorrow morning.

Read: HSE threatened to cut all funding to CRC from 1 January if board did not resign

Video: Former CRC chief got €200k lump-sum payment from charity fund

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67 Comments
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    Mute THE VOICE
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:30 PM

    You couldn’t write this …….

    180
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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:39 PM

    I don’t even think its shocking anymore…theres a story of its ilk every single day

    163
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:49 PM

    Leslie..seems to be the policy in public life.. Give us bad news but not the whole lot… We get outraged at the initial revelation and then feed us the rest of the crap.. This guy’s redundancy, consultants fees for Irish water.. You get the picture.

    138
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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:13 PM

    Isn’t it time we just employed a proper impartial police force to deal with all the corrupt thieves? What’s the point of all these committees? Only in Ireland do the corrupt pretend to investigate the even more corrupt. We the general public are being laughed at by these guys.

    135
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    Mute Jimmy Thompson
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:38 AM

    @rodrigo detriano totally agree it makes perfect sense ,but what makes sense to the normal joe, will be fought tooth & nail behind closed doors by those it effects, for their own ends

    Is there any iota of morals left, this is despicable and galling carry on & makes me sick to the pit of my stomach..,

    These crooks and those who okayed such acts, need to be Named , shamed, jailed and ostracised

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    Mute Jimmy Thompson
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:45 AM

    Its amazing the one common denominator that stands out in the majority of these incidences is FF and Bertie’s sub-culture………

    18
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    Mute Just4 TheJournal
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:29 PM

    There is little point in even reporting this only for historical reasons so people in years to come can see what eejits we were to let it go on

    Enda & co. are not going to resign by themselves. They were given a 5 year mandate and are determined to make full use of it

    136
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    Mute Michael Byrne
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:30 PM

    Historical purposes is correct,because in years to come the people of Ireland will say ,”if only we knew then what we know now we could have stopped it ” and that goes for the money monster to-be UISCE EIREANN ,this company will have every businessman/woman,banker,developer,politician suckling on its teats for years to come.Well,we do know now so it should be STOPPED.

    1
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    Mute Michael Drake
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:31 PM

    Kiely always seem to pretend to be on a mobile phone when being photographed in public. Think he does it to look less shameful.

    119
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    Mute Anthony Quinn
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:37 PM

    Probably on the blower to bord uisce
    See what kind of money they have
    To piss away on a suit and a face

    104
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:17 PM

    Probably on the phone to Bertie Ahern or some other FF leader laughing at the people of Ireland.

    76
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    Mute Martin Bonner
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    Jan 16th 2014, 6:33 AM

    Isn’t it strange then, that he stated on RTE radio that he was a lifelong member and supporter of FG?
    Really Cillian, you obsession with mentioning FF in every single post on every article is credit to your cause.
    But don’t let the facts, like him being a supporter of a different party get in the way of your obsession.
    As for the photo taken with him and Ahern, I can point to photos taken with Deputy Adams and Ahern, does that’s mean they’re connected?
    Or perhaps it’s as simple as they were at a function at the same time?

    8
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    Mute Betty Swolicks
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:34 AM

    Martin, you’re wrong.
    You’re thinking of Des Peelo..

    4
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    Mute Martin Bonner
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:13 AM

    I stand corrected

    It is quite amusing though, to see a supporter of a party making accusations of board appointments, when his own party was accused of this…

    http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12402030

    You can find out who was on appointed in this article on the second paragraph….

    http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/10458495

    4
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:00 AM

    Martin Boner.

    Paul Kiely was a key member of the so called Drumcondra mafia and a close personal friend of FF outfit leader Bertie Ahern.

    You are either a fool or a liar, maybe both.

    7
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    Mute Martin Bonner
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    Jan 16th 2014, 1:37 PM

    Cillian, would you care to comment on the articles I posted?
    Those in Glass houses Cillian, those in glass houses.
    It’s very easy to fall from high ground built of cardboard.

    1
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    Mute D
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:53 PM

    Sickened.

    Simple solution is to take it off them all.
    If it’s against the law have a referendum to change the law.

    Country is rotten to the core.

    114
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    Mute Shelly Levine
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:16 PM

    Here’s a prediction: “It was a contractual matter.” i.e Untouchable.

    106
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    Mute Spud
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:11 PM

    It’s sad to say, but I’m becoming numb to these stories now. They don’t surprise me anymore. I have no problems with anyone who earns good money. If they work hard, they deserve it.

    But there is something really sickening about someone getting 200 grand from a pot that is supposed to go towards charity. Do these people have no moral compass? They could say, “Ah here lads, you know, 90 grand a year of a pension is *more* than enough for me. I don’t really need that 200 grand from the charity fund. I’ll just be handing that back. Go spend it on someone who needs it more than I do.”

    I know this an extremely naive statement, but it’s something that would actually be good to see.

    I won’t hold my breath though.

    105
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    Mute Mr.Big!
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:36 PM

    If it walks like a Patrick Neary type deal ,talks like a Patrick Neary type deal, and looks like a Patrick Neary type deal, then he’s laughing !

    87
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:23 PM

    What were these appointments but payback in thanks for all the work they did for Fianna Fáil in Dublin over the years.

    58
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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:46 PM

    This country should be named SCANDAL

    82
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    Mute kerryman16
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:40 PM

    Jim Nugent seems to be attempting to keep his head down. Bit late now. What a pair! Do these men have a charitable bone between them?

    69
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    Mute THE VOICE
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:43 PM

    Unless one sticks it in the other……….

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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:33 PM

    Vote for change next chance u get ffs

    67
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    Mute Barry Banners
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:36 PM

    I really believe Ireland is the most corrupt country in the world, from listing to Joe who gets a fortune from RTE to the CRC and yet the government is taking medical cards of poor people who are very sick.

    66
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    Mute Caitríona Muireann Bolger
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:55 PM

    To be honest we’re pretty lucky, there’s worse things going on around the world…

    15
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    Mute Barry Banners
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:03 PM

    So Joe gets over 300 thousand euro a year plus expenses for answering a phone for 7 hours a week and that’s OK.

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    Mute Caitríona Muireann Bolger
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:06 PM

    In no way did I ever say it was okay! I just think it’s pretty far fetched to say we’re the most corrupt country in the world, when in reality we are very fortunate compared to other countries in the world.

    21
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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:31 PM

    You believe Ireland is the most corrupt country in the world? Tell me, do you ever read a newspaper?

    This site is a never ending parade of outraged stupidity.

    30
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:33 PM

    Barry.

    Exaggeration and dramatics do not help here.

    18
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    Mute Peace for All
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:31 PM

    I wonder when the Board of Management is replaced, will they have particular political connections when they are appointed and we’d assume in a few years when the questions are asked, could they do the job for a lower salary?
    My guess is that we’ll be told that you can’t get the talent for less money, or the contracts will be drawn up so as to legitimize the ridiculous compensation.

    64
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:00 PM

    Agree but ” they are not gone away……….”. Heard an interview recently on Newstalk with a rep for the Hospital Consultants – the usual mantra pay peanuts get monkeys, all going abroad, the new salary etc. GP’s spin doctors on all channels all day – need more resources, patient safety, child medical cards.
    I cannot understand how these so called contracts drawn up by people who clearly know what they are doing is wrong – in the case of the CRC diverting money donated for the welfare of children cannot be set aside on moral and ethical grounds. But then again can we expect any sense of justice from the highest paid judiciary in the world

    51
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    Mute Anthony Quinn
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:30 PM

    Buy a bear ..show ya care..hurrah
    For santa bear..wonder what yer
    Man got for singing that ditty

    63
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    Mute Ogochukwu
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:43 PM

    Ogochukwu is extremely confused because he thought that this was a bust country ,and there was no money .. ,looks like they have turned a bad corner

    50
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    Mute MrKnow
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:24 PM

    Ever notice how every comment slamming these lowlifes etc always has 4 or 5 red thumbs from the same fools (usually fg or ff whipping boys).

    38
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    Mute John Long
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:31 PM

    He’ll probably go & work for Irish water now!

    38
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    Mute Willie Penwright
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:45 PM

    I wonder what tomorrow’s crony rip-off will be and how much we will have to pay for it?

    33
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    Mute Black Dog
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:46 PM

    Don’t know some posters are intent on blaming the current Government. It was under the last shower of crooks that most of these arrangements were put in place to featherbed their cronies in the golden circle.

    Fair play to Independant newspapers for being at the forefront of uncovering these scandals….the regulators even after all that has happened seem still toothless and /or inept.!

    29
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    Mute howzatme
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:28 PM

    Evil comes to mind for me

    28
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    Mute Denzil
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    Jan 15th 2014, 10:18 PM

    P R I C K !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    22
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    Mute johnhindepost
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:57 PM

    Concise Kiely Dictionary: “complicated”

    Definition: Me to know and you to find out

    17
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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:40 PM

    I’m shocked—shocked I tell you!!

    16
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    Mute sean cronin
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    Jan 16th 2014, 12:38 AM

    Has any board member or manager resigned from any hospital involved in top ups given damage they have done to the charities. If no manager has resigned then boards need to be questioned. Would like to see all the board members named in public in front of our TDs

    14
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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Jan 15th 2014, 11:34 PM

    Wondering if there is a vacancy in Irish Water for these shameless b st rds.

    12
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    Mute Lisa McCann Gahan
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    Jan 16th 2014, 1:41 AM

    Everyone on the board appears to be detached from reality and how people are struggling just to survive. No one is taking responsibility for their actions. People need to make a stand. Why did the 1916 rising start? To be free and we have been taken for a ride by our own….people

    12
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    Mute Andy Semple
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:41 PM

    Ceapaim gur chóir dúinn an ‘package’ a ghearradh dó le siosúr… are yez with me?

    9
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    Mute Liam Crowe
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    Jan 15th 2014, 9:39 PM

    Surprise Surprise!

    8
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    Mute dominic
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:40 AM

    Slippery sleazebag,a lower form of the Bertie parasite

    6
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    Mute Trevor W
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:17 AM

    One of the highest degree of pr1cks the country has

    6
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    Mute Hugh Foley
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    Jan 15th 2014, 7:59 PM

    Pay peanuts get monkeys.

    5
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Jan 15th 2014, 8:02 PM

    Pay megabucks get bigger monkeys

    82
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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Jan 15th 2014, 10:00 PM

    least the monkeys would do what there told unlike the overpaid muppets we have now

    29
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    Mute Johnnie Sexton
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:26 AM

    Only in Ireland

    3
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    Mute silverter
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:45 AM

    and he’ll probably have a top job at irish water by the end of the year ….

    3
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    Mute john kinsella
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    Jan 20th 2014, 6:46 PM

    Martin bonner’s comments it’s like listens to Michael Martin uncanny.

    1
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    Mute Declan J Sheehy
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    Jan 20th 2014, 12:24 AM

    The amount of fraud at the highest levels of the public and private sector in Ireland is astounding. It is truly a banana republic.

    1
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