Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Mueller and wish him well in his role. There is no doubt from the curriculum vitae he presented that he is amply qualified for the role. He has come in at a good time because last week when I was driving home from here, I heard on the news that An Post had an operating loss of €17 million last year but when one factors in all the losses, it is upwards of €40 million. In the middle of that media report, there was a discussion on the salaries being paid to the top executives of An Post, in particular at the level of chief executive officer. A company which reported a €40 million loss has a CEO on a salary of €400,000, which is twice that of the Taoiseach and twice the €213,000 salary of the Governor of the Central Bank, who is charged with ensuring fiscal rectitude in Ireland.

There might be a temptation now to reduce services or to cut employee numbers or retail outlets to try to balance the books but how does that sit with the incoming chairman? A cost restructuring programme needs to take place in the company but the CEO earns twice the Taoiseach's salary and in a country of 4 million people. I have a huge difficulty with that. The Netherlands has taken a very clear line in terms of highly paid public and civil servants and salaries are set at a maximum percentage of the Prime Minister's salary. What does Mr. Mueller think of that? In his role as chairman, will he encourage people at the top to look at themselves before they look at others with a view cost saving in the company?