Minister approves pay increases for bosses at TG4 and Coillte
Gordon Deegan
The Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers TD has approved pay increases for the bosses of a further two commercial state bodies - Coillte and TG4.
The new approvals now bring to 21 pay increases for the heads of commercial state bodies approved by Chambers following approval by the line Ministers in each case.
However, a sanctioned pay increase for the most high profile ceo role of the commercial state bodies under the aegis of Government, the post of Director General at RTÉ, remains outstanding.
A spokeswoman for the Dept of Public Expenditure said on Monday that a further three pay proposals are currently under consideration by officials at the Department prior to submission to the Minister and these proposals relate to RTÉ, Drogheda Port Company and EirGrid.
She said that there are 28 commercial state bodies (CSBs) and said that four CSBs have not yet submitted proposals for consideration.
A spokesman at the Dept for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland would not be drawn on the sanctioned pay increase for the Director General at TG4
He said that on foot of the Review of Remuneration of Chief Executive Officers in Commercial State Bodies a new process for the adjustment of the remuneration of the CEOs or equivalent of such bodies, including TG4, has been put in place.
He said that while the new administrative process requires approval from both the line Minister and Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, "any alteration to the salary of the Director General of either of our public service broadcasters (RTÉ and TG4) also requires the approval of Government in accordance with the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009".
He said: “As such, it would not be appropriate to disclose the details in advance of the matter being submitted to Government for final approval.”
A spokeswoman for Coillte declined to comment while a spokesman for Bórd Na Móna would also not be drawn on the pay increase sanctioned for the role of ceo at Bord na Móna last month.
The review of CSB ceo pay has already resulted in large pay hikes - the ESB has given its chief executive, Paddy Hayes, a pay increase of just under €92,000 to €410,000 while the ceo of Uisce Éireann, Niall Gleeson, will receive an overall pay package this year of €391,953 - an overall rise of €118,000 on his pay package for 2025.
Along with the latest sanctioned increases for bosses at TG4 and Coillte, pay rises have also been signed off for ceos at Iarnród Eireann, Bus Éireann, Bus Átha Cliath, CIÉ, Dublin Port Company, Shannon Airport Group, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), Irish National Stud, Port of Cork, VHI, the Land Development Agency (LDA), Port of Waterford, An Post, AirNav Ireland, Irish Aviation Authority and daa.
