Per RTE report (here), Anglo's 'Public Interest' directors are being paid handsomely for their gargantuan efforts to... do exactly what? Steer the bank out of trouble? Not really, Anglo is not any better today than a year ago. Carry out its ordinary business? Not really, Anglo is not doing any new business at all and is in effect sitting pretty until Nama cleans up the mess. Safeguard public 'investment'? Not really, for no one sane really expects any return from this 'investment'. So what exactly do these 'Public Interest' director do? No one dares to ask.
In the mean time, Alan Dukes and Frank Daly - two, in my view fine individuals - collect public retirement pay and are receiving €99,360 each in fees from a publicly-owned Anglo. A figure more than six times the compensation for directors of other State bodies.
But things are not much better in BofI (where Tom Considine and Joe Walsh received total fees to €102,375 and Joe Walsh's to €78,750). AIB in contrast paid Dick Spring and Declan Collier €27,375 and also topped these with €3,000 for each committee meeting attended. IL&P's public guardians, Ray MacSharry (fees of €56,250) and Margaret Hayes (€63,500) were handsomely well off as well. At EBS, Tony Spollen and Ann Riordan both receive a basic fee of €29,000 each. State appointed noble folks of Nationwide, Rory O'Ferrall and Adrian Kearns, in line with a long-running tradition at the building society to behave like a secretive private bank, simply didn't disclose their earnings to the public.
Further irony: fully state-owned Anglo pays second highest rate to its non-execs, while the Irish Government is flustered with privately held banks (AIB & BofI and the rest of privately held 5) executives' remuneration. It looks like someone (Minister Lenihan?) can't control his own organization (Anglo), while trying to play tough with organizations he has little stake in. Oh, incidentally, the fees for Dukes & co were set on the 'recommendation' by the State own 'commission' - another state body that Minister Lenihan apparently cannot reign in.
Expected annual cost (inclusive of expected, but not disclosed fees) €760,000 plus.
After having a quick chat with few friends in academia, here is a bold proposal for the Minister for Finance - you can find at least 12 senior and experienced academics and industry practitioners, including my self, who would do these jobs for €10,000 per annum plus expenses. As a real exercise in our patriotic (Minister Lenihan's words from last Budget) duty.
How about it, Minister? You promise left right and center that you will save taxpayers money. Here is a chance to do so. Some €640,000 of taxpayers money!
Oh and while we are on the topic of silly/dodgy political news - there is a recent report in the US (here) that argues that President Obama evokes Jesus and God more frequently than his predecessor. Not that I have a problem with this myself, but I wonder what all the European 'Liberals' would make of this...
