Celia Larkin: has missed two out of seven meetings in past year

The ex-girlfriend of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has been paid almost €30,000 in fees and expenses for sitting on the board of the National Consumer Agency – a position she described as "purely voluntary" when she was controversially appointed.


Larkin has earned a total of €29,527 from her role so far, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.


She attended only five of the seven NCA board meetings between May 2007 and April 2008.


In total, 12 board members have cost more than €330,000 in expenses and fees. They are believed to be highly likely to face the axe in government cutbacks.


The enormous fees were paid out to members for their work, which involves attending six board meetings per year and helping "review the operations of the agency".


Larkin (49) was appointed to the board in 2005 and is entitled to €14,000 a year in an "annual gross fee", the National Consumer Agency has said. She has claimed almost €4,000 in expenses since her appointment.


TV financial guru Eddie Hobbs, has declined to collect expenses, but has received €38,286 in fees. Hobbs said working for the agency was not like working in "a convent".


One board member, Bill Prasifka – who is now head of the Competition Authority – has declared he will not accept either fees or expenses for his work.


Chairman Steven Costello has earned €48,365.59 for his efforts, which included €11,000 in expenses.


Seven other board members earned around €25,000 each during the past 18 months. They were: Inez Bailey, Director of the National Adult Literacy Agency, Marie Barry Ring, a community activist, Deirdre McDonnell, a businesswoman, Robin O'Sullivan, a former journalist and owner of O'Sullivan PR, Alex Schuster, a lecturer and barrister, and Ed Shinnick, an Economics lecturer at University College Cork.


The chief executive of the NCA Ann Fitzgerald is paid €182,333 a year, despite having overall control of a budget of just €10 million.


Thomas Bourke, Secretary to the Board of the Agency, said: "The rate of fees paid to NCA Board members are as approved by the Department of Finance and the expenses are in line with standard civil service rates."


However, it had been widely believed the members were working for free as when Celia Larkin joined the Agency, she said: "This is a purely voluntary position and that needs to be pointed out."


Larkin was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Sunday Tribune.