DCC's two executive directors - chief executive, Mr Jim Flavin and Mr Morgan Crowe - shared a total remuneration package of £548,000 last year, a 13 per cent increase on the £485,000 they shared the previous year.

Salaries for the two directors rose from £357,000 to £401,000 and benefits were up from £38,000 to £39,000, while pension contributions increased from £90,000 to £108,000.

In a separate notification to the Irish Stock Exchange, DCC has disclosed that Mr Flavin sold 419,151 shares this week at 635p a share to realise £2.66 million. This was used to exercise options over 1.2 million shares and to pay the balance due on partly-paid shares. As a result, Mr Flavin has increased his stake in DCC by 783,349 shares to 2.28 million shares at no net cost to Mr Flavin.

In a similar transaction, Mr Crowe sold 79,826 DCC shares to cover the cost of exercising options and paying the balance due on partly-paid shares. As a result, his stake in DCC has increased by 151,164 shares. DCC's three non-executive directors - chairman, Mr Alex Spain, Mr Tony Barry and Mr Paddy Gallagher - shared £109,000 in fees, up from £90,000.