Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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235. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of commercial State bodies that have sought or received approval to increase senior executive remuneration following the senior posts remuneration committee review completed in 2024; and the rationale provided by each board for proposed upward revision. [62570/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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236. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated additional cost to the Exchequer or to the relevant State bodies arising from the implementation of revised remuneration bands for chief executives and senior management, by organisation, in tabular form. [62571/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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237. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the mechanisms used by his Department to assess whether remuneration adjustments at commercial State bodies are linked to measurable improvements in performance, governance, and value for money to the taxpayer. [62572/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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238. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken to ensure that executive pay levels within commercial State bodies remain proportionate to public-service standards and consistent with the wider cost-of-living pressures faced by citizens. [62573/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236, 237 and 238 together.

The Senior Posts Remuneration Committee (SPRC) was established by Government in March 2024. The SPRC was requested to perform a review of the remuneration arrangements for the CEOs of Commercial State Bodies (CSBs).

The SPRC made a number of findings and 17 recommendations. The report outlines the importance of fair and appropriate remuneration as a key element in the recruitment and retention of CEOs of CSBs who are critical to the State's future development and economic performance. Overall, the SPRC found that there is a requirement for a transparent framework for the regular review of CEO remuneration.

Having considered the SPRC report, the Government agreed to implement a more structured approach to the remuneration across CEOs in CSBs. The SPRC report was published on 29 April 2025. A banded salary structure was agreed by Government and has been implemented for CEOs, which ranges from their current salary to the market median of the relevant band.

Proposals for changes to salaries for CEOs of CSBs within this framework agreed by Government may be made by the relevant Board and are subject to approval by the relevant Minister and, subsequently, with my consent.

The SPRC report found that there is a need for CSB Boards to have appropriate flexibility to manage CEO remuneration in line with the organisation’s business needs, performance and capacity to pay, with an enhanced system of governance in place.

It is for the Boards of CSBs to propose any change to its incumbent CEO’s salary (or the salary for new CEOs) within the applicable salary band. In preparing a salary proposal, the CSB Board must consider a number of elements such as the headroom between the current CEO basic salary and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), benefits accruing to the CEO (including pension) or ability to accrue additional benefits, confirmation of affordability and equity.

It is the responsibility of the relevant CSB Board to consider the costs and ability to fund any adjustments to remuneration levels. Recommending the salary of the CEO to the relevant Minister is the responsibility of the CSB Board supported by its Remuneration Committee (“Remco”), where applicable.

To date, revised salaries for three CSBs have been approved by the relevant line Minister with my consent. The aforementioned business needs and context of each CSB have informed the salary adjustments in each CSB.