Update 9 March, 13.08: Rehab CEO ‘donates fees for State boards work to charity’>

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the not-for-profit Rehab Group, Angela Kerins, receives over €23,000 annually from her positions on two State boards in addition to her €234,000 salary at the organisation which announced redundancies this week.

The Rehab Group, which says it works for social and economic inclusion among people with disabilities and others, disclosed this week that it pays €234,000 to Kerins for her role with the organisation which made 18 workers, some of whom have disabilities, redundant at its recycling facility in Galway this week.

In answer to a questions from Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams this week, the government disclosed that Kerins also chairs the board of the Equality Authority for which she received €11,292 in 2011.

While for her role on the board of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) she also receives €11,970 annually. This brings Kerins’ total renumeration for the two positions to €23,262.

In documents reported in the Irish Independent this week, the Health Minister James Reilly asked for details of Kerins’ remuneration package as part of a Department of Health investigation into charities who are spending €1.5 billion in State funding.

However, the paper reported that Reilly was rebuffed by Rehab’s chairman Brian Kerr who said that details of her salary were “not a matter in which you have a role” as the salary was funded from money raised from other commercial sources.

Rehab received €36 million in State funding last year.  The group implemented pay cuts of between 5 and 15 per cent for staff in February 2010, which were at the time in line with cuts implemented by the then government for staff in the public sector.

In its most recent annual report for 2010 the Rehab Group reported an operating surplus of €2.3 million, up from €1.9 million in 2009. The report also notes “further significant challenges are anticipated in 2011″.

This week the trade union Siptu called on Kerins to review the decision by Rehab Enterprises, a subsidiary organisation, to make 18 workers redundant at its recycling facility in Galway.

“The majority of the workers facing redundancy in Galway have disabilities. Siptu is willing to participate in negotiations in any forum which are aimed at ensuring these workers retain their jobs,” Siptu organiser Michelle Quinn said.