Staff at the State-owned communications regulator ComReg shared bonus payments of almost €1 million last year.
The 2019 annual report for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) shows staff received €993,000 in performance-related pay, or 9 per cent of total pay costs.
This compares to bonus payments of €898,000 for 2018. The bonus scheme was originally established by the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation.
Pay costs to staff at ComReg in the 12 months to the end of June came to €10.9 million. The annual report shows the numbers earning over €100,000 at ComReg last year totalled 32, including two staff members who earned more than €210,000.
Employer’s PRSI
A further four staff earned between €150,000 and €200,000, with 26 earning between €100,000 and €150,000
The remuneration for those earning over €100,000 included salary, performance-related pay and benefit in kind, but excludes employer’s PRSI.
Numbers employed at ComReg last year increased from 118 to 128.
Legal costs incurred increased by 36 per cent from €1.82 million to €2.49 million, made up of legal advice costing €1.06 million, and costs from legal proceedings costing €1.43 million.
The regulator’s international travel bill also increased sharply, rising by 60 per cent from €227,000 to €364,000, while the domestic travel bill decreased from €29,000 to €23,000.
Surplus falls
The regulator last year recorded a surplus of €25.9 million – down 52 per cent on the surplus of €53.7 million recorded in 2018.
ComReg paid €54.64 million to the exchequer in the 12 months, and a further net amount of €24.9 million was payable at the end of June last.
The chief factor behind the drop in surplus was ComReg’s income from Electronic Communications Spectrum Income reducing from €32 million in 2018 to €7.6 million last year.
ComReg’s net income last year reduced by 30 per cent from €87.16 million to €61.45 million. The bulk of its income was made up of licensing fee revenues of €43 million from communication companies.
The regulator’s costs last year increased by 6 per cent to €35.46 million.
