Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate Ms Keane's correcting my comment. Although I said Rehab was almost a public entity, I did not suggest it was. Having looked at the figures, I will compliment it because everybody has been having a go at the salaries paid in the organisation. Based on the audited accounts for RehabCare in the year under review, staff costs, including PRSI and pensions, were €33.53 million. On page 3 it is stated the organisation had an average of 1,052 employees in the year. This gives an average salary per employee, including PRSI and pensions, of €31,873 per annum, which is less than the average industrial wage. Including PRSI and pensions, this amounts to an average weekly salary of €613. The salaries paid in the organisation generally appear to be modest. We have concentrated on the salaries of a few key personnel.

Without wishing to bore members, I have produced similar figures for the National Learning Network. The accounts show that payroll costs were €31.11 million and that there were 705 employees. This gives an average salary of €44,000 per annum or €849 per week. While the figures for both organisations are not excessive, the average salary in the National Learning Network is higher than that in RehabCare, although neither figure is excessive. What is the difference in the pay structures between the two entities? I apologise for giving so much detail, but I am thinking of the 3,800 employees who will get it in the neck tomorrow morning for purportedly having high salaries. I want those who avail of Rehab's services to know that the average person working on their behalf receives less than €600 per week.