THERE WAS a muted response yesterday from State companies to the Minister for Public Expenditure’s request for voluntary pay cuts by chief executives earning more than €250,000.
ESB, whose chief executive is the highest paid of the commercial State companies, took a 15 per cent pay cut in the years prior to this announcement, a spokesman said.
Pádraig McManus, currently earning a €400,000 salary, took a 10 per cent cut in 2009 and a 5 per cent cut in January this year, the spokesman said. He had no further comment on the proposals by Brendan Howlin.
The salary of An Post chief executive Donal Connell was a “private matter” between Mr Connell and the board, a company spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on the pay cut request. His salary is €386,000, according to the McCarthy report, which is based on December 2009 figures.
A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority said it was aware of the Government statement and that it would respond through “appropriate channels”. Chief executive Declan Collier earns a €320,000 salary. Coillte had no comment to make about a voluntary pay cut for its chief executive David Gunning. His salary is €297,000.
A spokesman for Bord Gáis said it had received no communication on the new Government pay policy for commercial State companies yet but it would be dealt with at board level.
Chief executive of Bord Gáis John Mullins currently receives €265,000 per year and is due to leave the company next year.
RTÉ director general Noel Curran “is compliant with the position” set out by Mr Howlin, a spokesman said. Mr Curran volunteered a salary cut to €250,000 on being appointed last December. The basic pay of the director general has been cut by almost a fifth since 2008.
