Chief executive of Rehab Group calls for salary transparency

Angela Kerins said she would rather not declare the value of her remuneration package, having done so previously

Angela Kerins of Rehab: 'It's not down to politicians' statements or media commentary or individual board members, it should be independently assessed and judged and that's what people want.' she said. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien / THE IRISH TIMES

Steven Carroll

Tue, Jan 7, 2014, 01:00

First published:Tue, Jan 7, 2014, 01:00

Rehab Group chief executive Angela Kerins has called for greater transparency on salaries in the charitable sector and among private companies who tender for Government contracts.

Ms Kerins, who yesterday said she would rather not declare the value of her remuneration package having done so previously, said there was a need to ensure salaries were fair and appropriate for the job being done and the only way this could be done was through "professional review and evaluation".

"It's not down to politicians' statements or media commentary or individual board members, it should be independently assessed and judged and that's what people want," she said.

In 2011, Rehab Group said Ms Kerins received an annual salary of €234,000 from the company, which she says receives less than 1 per cent of its €200 million annual turnover from fundraising.

Rehab Group was joined by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Riyadh yesterday to announce a deal worth an initial €2.3 million with the Saudi Human Resources Development Fund. Under the deal, Rehab Group will oversee the development of the fund's inclusive employment and pre-employment programmes for people with disabilities.

Attract people
Asked if she was satisfied she was paid an appropriate sum for somebody in such a business, Ms Kerins replied that she did. "I think it is important we don't lose track of the fact you have to attract people . . . We want to get the best people into the organisation and we shouldn't be afraid of saying that," she added when interviewed by reporters in Saudi Arabia.

She said money raised through fundraising activities was used locally and did not go towards paying salaries to senior management, which were funded by commercial activity. "We don't get grant aid from Government . . . We tender against the private sector and other voluntary organisations."

Rehab provides health and social care, training and education, and commercial services to thousands of clients. It employs 3,800 people in Ireland, England, the Netherlandsand Poland and others.

"We don't do top-ups," Ms Kerins said. "I give money [to charity] but it needs to be clear what the organisation does with it."