Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the saving to the State if all State agency board members' annual payments were rescinded and instead board membership was awarded without remuneration. [30255/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Based on current rates as per Department of Finance guidelines, the Chairperson of FÁS is eligible for a payment of €20,520 per annum while eight ordinary members are eligible for payments of €11,970; the Chairperson of the Grangegorman Development Agency is eligible for a payment of €8,978 per annum; the Chairperson of the Higher Education Authority is eligible for a payment of €11,970 per annum while eighteen ordinary members are eligible for payments of €7,695; the Chairperson of Skillnets Ltd is eligible for a payment of €8,978 per annum while ten ordinary members are eligible for payments of €5,985; and the Chairperson of the State Examinations Commission is eligible for a payment of €11,970 per annum while the other four Commissioners are eligible for payments of €7,695. Based on these figures a potential saving of €387,316 could apply if no fees were applicable with regard to the five agencies referred to above.

In addition the Deputy should note that fees paid to boards of the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) and the Residential Institutions Review Committee (RIRC) up until end of September 2011 total €707,228. Ordinary board members are paid a per diem rate which in both cases is currently €668 per day (pension abatement applies were appropriate). The Chairperson of the RIRC is paid by the Department based on annual salary for a Supreme Court judge subject to abatement.

No fees are paid to board members in relation to any of the other bodies under the aegis of my Department except as outlined above.