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THE MINISTER FOR Transport has threatened not to reappoint several members of the board of Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in the row over the bonus payment due to chief executive Declan Collier.
Leo Varadkar has told the Irish Mail on Sunday he won’t be re-appointing seven of the 13 board members at DAA unless the board reconsiders the €106,000 performance-related bonus due to Collier under the terms of his contract.
The Minister has already written to DAA asking the company not to make the payment but DAA argues that it is contractually obliged to pay the bonus to Collier for 2010.
Collier’s total earnings for 2010 reached €612,500 – including a basic salary of €308,500, and a pension and benefits package worth €182,100. The bonuses were made up of an annual incentive of €64,800 and a long-term incentive of another €41,300.
It has emerged that €21,900 of this bonus has already been paid out, according to RTÉ, with the rest deferred to reflect government policy. Varadkar has said that no bonuses should be paid for 2010.
In the interview Varadkar also revealed that the resignation of DAA chairman David Dilger last month was a result of the row over the payment to Collier. At the time DAA said the resignation by Dilger “was to afford more time to his broad range of other interests.”
But Varadkar told the paper:
I met the chairman subsequently and made it very clear what the position was. He subsequently resigned and then I wrote to the board and made it very clear what the position was.They came back to me with this unacceptable compromise that it was going to be deferred until next year.
The Minister for Transport has said that Collier’s future remuneration package will be cut in line with the reforms in salaries paid to semi-state sector chiefs that were announced by his colleague Brendan Howlin last week.
The DAA did not respond to a request for comment by TheJournal.ie at the time of publication.
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Well, just do it and start a precedent here, tired of reading about ministers ” not happy” about this, that and the other one’s bonus in the state sector but doesn’t seem to be able to do anything about it, when it comes to it!
Some action rather than talk would be a change.
Just sack them, I have no doubt that if the board is examined closely enough that reasons to do so will be found. No severance, no pension. If they want to differentiate themselves from the traitors of FF and the PD’s then holding people accountable and subject to the law rather than who they are friends with or donate money to would be a great start.
Good for you Minister we are all behind you !
Let’s hear some support for Leo from Enda.
It’s amazing with some sectors of society that there are “contractual circumstances” where their pay etc can’t be affected. Yet, with the majority of people who work, there is never any problem taking money out of your pay packet. They just take it out & to hell with you. Instead of politicans being “annoyed”, “angry” &/or “not happy”, just do the right thing. Get on with it.
A bonus after the debacle of T2?What would they get for doing a competent job?
I agree with Marguerite… Just sack this guys… There is no brain drain as most of these have no experience etc to lose and it will set a precedent for this unwanted fat we have in the public service boards… I’d go a step further and not replace them. An experienced board of 4 is all it needs not a mass of politicians friends and family
Wasn’t there a lot of the DAA board that were dig out friends of Bertie Ahern, the other half being FF and PD donors.
The litmus test is here
And Passed! Good work Leo…
See the 9@9 for more comment on this topic.
Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. What about fingleton, goggins, neary, aherne, cowen, to name but a few?
If the minister was genuine he would go after all the tossers who destroyed the country, but he won’t.
This is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
The lady’s not for turning!
I don’t know if comparing Leo to a person with an anti Irish streak a mile wide and who represents the style of business and Govt. that has the world economy on its knees is a good idea.
have your say