Government rolls back on Kenny comments on Collier

THE GOVERNMENT ROLLED back on comments by Taoiseach Enda Kenny last night after he told the Dáil it was “not good practice” that Dublin Airport Authority chief executive Declan Collier was also on AIB’s remuneration committee.

Mr Kenny was responding to a Dáil intervention from Independent TD Shane Ross who pointed out Mr Collier was a public interest director on the board of AIB and a member of its remuneration committee.

Mr Ross said it was “absurd” that Mr Collier should be deciding on banking remuneration when there had been controversy over his own remuneration.

“Personally I find it certainly not good practice, put it that way,” Mr Kenny said.

A Government spokesman later said the Government had asked that Mr Collier not take up his bonus and that was what had happened.

“The issue is ultimately unrelated to his role as director in AIB,” the spokesman said.

Mr Collier said at the weekend he would not accept a bonus of €106,000 for 2010. This followed a confrontation with Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, who threatened not to reappoint the airport authority board for defying guidelines on pay for senior public servants. Minister for Finance Michael Noonan also intervened.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said the positions were separate roles and he had confidence in Mr Collier.

Speaking ahead of his address to the Irish Human Rights Commission, Mr Gilmore said it should be acknowledged that Mr Collier had surrendered the bonus.

“I think they’re two separate roles and really I think what we have to focus on here is that he did make the decision to forgo his bonus and that is something that the Government welcomes and I think we need to move on from it now,” Mr Gilmore said.

“My understanding is that he was appointed to the board of AIB by the previous government,” he added. Mr Collier was appointed in January 2009 by the then government, along with former tánaiste Dick Spring.

An AIB spokesman said it had no comment.