Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of new staff employed by Anglo Irish Bank directly, on contract or on secondment from professional firms in the past 12 months; the number of these who are on salaries of more than €100,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19695/11]

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of personnel employed by professional firms that have been working on Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society business analysis and operational matters for the past 24 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19696/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.

These institutions – namely Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) which have been merged with effect from 1 July 2011 – have been managed to date on an arms-length basis and the new merged entity will continue likewise, notwithstanding the Government's shareholding in both institutions, as is appropriate. Similarly where the State has extensive shareholdings in other relevant covered institutions, this is important from the point of view of ensuring that their operations are managed, by their respective boards and management, on a commercial basis with a view to securing the maximum return for the taxpayer. I do not, therefore, compile the detailed data sought by the Deputy on pay, or on the number of personnel on secondment from professional firms providing services to Anglo Irish Bank and INBS. The latter would, in any event, be a matter that is primarily a professional and commercial matter for the particular firms providing the service.

However, I fully recognise that there is a real public interest in the levels of remuneration at the covered institutions and I have indicated, in answers to other questions today, that I am asking the institutions to compile data on staff numbers and remuneration practices and details with a view, as part of the remuneration review presently being conducted by the institutions at the request of my Department, to improving transparency on the issue. I will forward the information in due course to the Deputy, when it has been supplied and examined by my Department.