Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

The Central Bank of Ireland published the findings of its review of remuneration policies and practices in a number of Irish retail banks on its website on 1 December 2010. The review assessed whether banks have changed how they remunerate employees, particularly those in senior executive positions, to reflect incoming regulatory standards and the lessons of the financial crisis. In particular, it examined if banks have ended remuneration practices which fostered inappropriate risk taking or inadequate risk management.

The review found that while the majority of banks have started to reform their remuneration policies and practices, the balance of the Central Bank's findings were discouraging. For example, there is little evidence that banks have self-consciously made a link between their risk appetite and their incentive structures exposing the banks and, by extension the State, to the consequences of inappropriate risk taking; the governance and oversight of remuneration practices is poor; and in the majority of banks, procedures to determine remuneration are not clear, well documented or internally transparent. There was little evidence of consideration of risk or collaboration with risk management functions to ensure remuneration policies are aligned with long term strategic plans.

Issues identified in the review are being followed up individually with institutions by the Central Bank. Detailed EU requirements on remuneration policies in credit institutions have come into force in Irish law since 1 January 2011 through amendments made in the capital requirements directive. These obligations are supplemented by extensive guidelines issued by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors, which is now known as the European Banking Authority, compliance with which will be closely monitored by the Central Bank of Ireland in assessing adherence with each institution's legal responsibilities. Enforcement action can be taken by the Central Bank in case of non-compliance. These measures will address the significant issues disclosed in the Central Bank's review of remuneration policies and practices which were also highlighted as significant contributors to Ireland's banking crisis in the recent Nyberg report.

Notwithstanding these developments, recent disclosures regarding payments made to the former managing director of AIB, highlight the serious weaknesses that continue to exist in relation to remuneration policies in the covered institutions.

Following a request from my Department, the National Treasury Management Agency, which has legal responsibility for managing the State's shareholder relationship with the banks, has recently written to the covered institutions requesting that they undertake a review of remuneration practice, that they have further discussion with the Department of Finance ahead of any commitment to additional redundancy payments and that the bank does not commit to further termination payments until the review is completed. An analysis of severance entitlements has also being requested.

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