“Shock Horror” as Rehab Ireland reveals that 12 of its staff earn salaries of over €100,000
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A salary of up to €249,000 is paid to Rehab’s chief executive Angela Kerins.
Angela Kerins, chief executive of Rehab, is paid in the region of €240,000 to €249,000.
Twelve executives of the Rehab Group earn salaries of more than €100,000, according to a statement issued by the organisation tonight.
The top salary paid by Rehab is in the range of €240,000 to €249,000 and is paid to chief executive Angela Kerins.
Rehab has a total staff of 2,470 employed in Ireland with 77, or three per cent of them, paid €65,000 or more.
In the statement, the board of the Rehab Group provided details of its salary structure which it has given to the Public Accounts Committee in response to a series of questions sent to it after its meeting on February 27th.
It said that Rehab was an independent international group of charities and commercial companies with over 3,500 staff involved in health and social care, training and education, and rehabilitation, employment and commercial services in Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, the Netherlands, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
“The people who currently use Rehab’s services include young people and adults with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities, people with mental health difficulties, people with autism and people with an acquired brain injury.”
It also provides a range of essential services to older people, carers and others who are marginalised including people who require supports to enter or re-enter the workforce and the long-term unemployed.
“Every year, more than 60,000 people and their families benefit from the supports provided by Rehab in more than 260 locations. The group had a turnover in 2012 of €183 million.
The statement said the Rehab Group had previously committed to publishing details of the salaries of the eight senior executives, which comprise the executive management team of the organisation, along with the chief executive officer.
It also provided information about the remainder of the management and professional posts which come into this category of remuneration of over €65,000 which it said were posts of significant responsibility and seniority, encompassing a wide range of duties, and requiring technical, professional and clinical expertise and experience, and management responsibility.
The statement also said all of the executive team members had a contractual entitlement to performance-related pay elements, which are not guaranteed but which may be awarded for exceptional performance against agreed criteria.
“Performance related payments were waived by all members of the executive team in 2010 and 2011. An element of performance-related payment was awarded by the Remuneration Committee, of between €6,000 and €14,200 to executive team members based on performance in 2012.
“The Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Director of Human Resources waived any performance-related payment. No performance-related payments were paid for 2013.”
It said all staff including the executive team were currently entitled to membership of a defined contribution pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of 6 per cent. The Rehab Group Defined Benefit Pension scheme commenced a wind-up process in early 2013.
Certain staff have company vehicles on which they pay the relevant taxes as a benefit in kind.
The statement added that the Rehab Group did not make any contribution to private health insurance on behalf of any staff members. Expenses incurred for as a direct result of company business are authorised to staff members once vouched for
Irish Revenue Commissioners to use Google & spy for true home tax values
The Irish Revenue Commissioners are using Google Street View and Maps to check up on those who may have undervalued their homes to reduce their level of Property Tax.
Revenue officials are mapping out every property in Ireland in order to highlight those owners whose homes are valued significantly below those of their neighbours.
“This is an effective tool in looking at individual property valuations,” said Revenue’s Michelle Carroll.
She said it was also “very cost-effective”.
The nationwide map, which is being created by Revenue, will be only for official use. The map will also show the identity of the homeowners in question and their PPS numbers.
“If people think they have undervalued, they will have an opportunity to correct the value online,” added Ms Carroll. “People can self-correct without fear of interest and penalties until the end of this month.”
OFFICIALS
Revenue is urging homeowners who feel they may have undervalued their properties to correct the valuation online by March 31, before officials launch a nationwide compliance programme.
Those who are identified to have deliberately undervalued their homes will receive correspondence from Revenue next month.
If property owners do not take advantage of the opportunity being offered, Revenue says that “interest will apply where additional tax becomes payable in cases where a property was undervalued”. More than 1,400 people have self-corrected their valuation since November.
Since the announcement of the six-week window for people to regularise their Local Property Tax and Household Charge affairs, around 20,000 Property Tax returns for 2014 have been received by Revenue, with more than €700,000 being paid on a daily basis.
Ms Carroll said that there was no formal agreement between Revenue and Google as both Google Maps and Google Street View are “open-source products”. A spokesperson for Google said that the company had no comment to make on the matter.
“Penalty point’s” report due soon before Irish Cabinet
Fianna Fáil critical of leak but welcomes ‘apparent vindication’ of whistle blowers.
Recommendations in the Garda Inspectorate report into the penalty point controversy due before Cabinet tomorrow will ensure a “transparent system fit for the 21st century which will stand up to scrutiny,” Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said tonight.
Mr Shatter made his comments in a statement following the leak of some sections of the report. Fianna Fáil issued a statement of its own condemning “selective leaking” but welcoming the apparent vindication of Garda whistleblowers in the report.
Tonight’s development comes weeks after a draft report of the inspectorate’s findings was sent to Mr Shatter and to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.
In tonight’s statement, Mr Shatter said: “The inspectorate, in its recommendations, provides a roadmap to address the difficulties which have arisen and to ensure that An Garda Síochána will have a system which is transparent, fit for the 21st century, and which will stand up to scrutiny.”
The statement follows a leak of some sections of the review into the operation of the fixed charge processing system.
The leak prompted Fianna Fáil spokesman on justice Niall Collins to issue a statement of his own in which he described the “selective leaking” as a “retrograde step”.
Mr Collins said the report could lead to renewed calls for an apology to Garda whistleblower Sgt McCabe, commenting: “It would appear from the initial reports that the whistleblowers at the centre of recent controversies have been vindicated. That is to be welcomed.”
However, Mr Collins was critical of the leak.
“It is obviously not uncommon for Government or others to leak important reports to the media, but given the scale of the controversy surrounding this particular issue and related matters over recent months, I believe that tonight’s selective leaking of the Garda Inspectorate Report is a retrograde step.
“Once again, on an important issue of public order, Alan Shatter and the Government’s first priority is news management and trying to maintain control of headlines. I look forward to publication of the full report tomorrow when I hope to give a comprehensive response.”
Accelerator shoots at the Irish financial services sector
Pictured above left at the start of NDRC’s Launch Pad accelerator programme are Claire Burge (Winit), Gary Leyden, director (NDRC’s LaunchPad) and Terence Hong (Adjuno).
The new NDRC programme will support tech firms hoping to shake up Irish industry.
A new accelerator programme aimed at financial services technology firms is hoping to encourage innovation in the sector and eventually lead to a shake up of the financial services industry.
The financial start-up programme is the first of its kind in Ireland, and is being run by NDRC in association with Bank of Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Mediolanum and State-Street.
Ten early stage firms will be recruited for the five week part-time programme, which kicks off in May. The companies will be given access to mentors from the sector, tech entrepreneurs and investment figures as part of the scheme.
Startups looking to join the programme can focus on any area of financial services where a new technology product could solve an existing problem.
NDRC chief executive Ben Hurley said the programme would harness the best ideas from those interested in the financial services industry, and help create dynamic, sector-changing tech companies.
“NDRC has track record of making ventures happen by enabling startups to get off the ground and our programme co-founders know what it takes to be successful in the financial services sector,” he said. “These organisations’ rich heritage in financial services will be utilised to develop new ventures who not only know the financial services industry but have a vision of where there are opportunities for change.”
Warnings for Irish people taking blood thinning drugs
THE RISK IF TAKING THE WRONG DOSE
The Irish Medical Organisation criticised the HSE over the method that it released the information.
Irish patients taking medication to prevent stroke are being warned about dosage issues that could have serious health effects.
The concern centres around blood thinners Rivaroxaban and Dabigatran, and also on patients who may be taking them and also taking other prescription medicines.
It is believed to possibly affect around 4,000 people in Ireland.
A Report.
The Medicines Management Programme has highlighted that attention should be paid by prescribers to the prescribing of blood thinners, particularly in relation to appropriate dosing and the potential for drug interactions, said the HSE.
There are 7,460 patients who receive Rivaroxaban, with some 4,590 patients (62%) receiving it as long term therapy and over 16% (769 patients) receiving it at a prescribed daily dose of just 10 mg.
The recommended dose for atrial fibrillation is 20 mg daily of rivaroxaban, reducing to 15 mg. daily for patients with renal impairment.
- Administration of rivaroxaban 10mg daily is not indicated for atrial fibrillation and renders such patients susceptible to stroke.
- In addition, over 28% of patients treated with rivaroxaban received medications that would be expected to interact with the anticoagulant.
Over 100 patients were co-prescribed dronedarone, which should be avoided given the limited clinical data available, said the HSE.
Some 25% of patients received medications where caution is advised, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and platelet aggregation inhibitors.
This co-prescribing places patients at greater risk of haemorrhagic complications.
In the case of dabigatran, 37% of all patients receiving long term therapy were at risk of drug interactions. Some 68 patients were co-prescribed medications that are contraindicated.
- Over 34% of patients received other medications where caution has been urged in co-prescribing e.g. NSAIDs, platelet aggregation inhibitors and SSRI/SNRIs.
- This prescribing pattern potentially places many patients at greater risk of haemorrhage which may not be reversible.
The analysis also shows that two thirds of patients treated with long term dabigatran received the lower dose of 110 mg twice daily, which proved non-inferior to warfarin therapy in the clinical trial.
The HSE said that it wanted to highlight again that attention be paid to the prescribing of these blood-thinning drugs (oral anti-coagulants), particularly in relation to appropriate dosing and the potential for drug interactions.
Safety concerns.
Professor Michael Barry, clinical lead for the HSE’s medicines management programme, told Morning Ireland that there were “safety concerns” around the use of the medicines.
While for people at risk of stroke it is important that the blood is thinned, he said that his colleagues in the HSE identified two issues in relation to the above products.
The study found that 16% of people are being treated with a 10 mg. per day dose of Rivaroxaban.
“That is too low,” said Barry. “The dose for prevention of stroke is 20mg per day.”
For those with renal dysfunction, the dose is 15 mg. per day.
The concern is that people might be taking the drug, but it’ s not doing what it should be doing. There is also the potential for interaction with other drugs, said Barry. The potential for interaction with Rivaroxaban was 26%.
Barry said the HSE is telling health professionals that if they are going to prescribe these drugs, to “pay particular attention to the dose”.
He said the HSE sent a letter to all GPs and all prescribers dated 5 March. “I am assuming this will get to everybody today,” he said.
No communication.
Dr Ray Walley of the Irish Medical Organisation said he had had no communication from the HSE and had first read of the issues in the Sunday Business Post yesterday.
He said he was “horrified this was the method of communication”. He has since been in contact with Barry.
Dr Walley said that the issues of prescribing the drugs “are complex”.
The first thing that patients should do is that if they are well they should stay on the tablets. The second thing they should do today is to put a call into your GP asking the GP to ring you back today, telling them you are on the drugs in question.
If you’re feeling unwell, you’re asked to explain that to your GP when you contact them.
A big concern?
The Irish Heart Foundation said it is concerned about the report, but it is “also concerned that the latest report is alarmist to patients currently suffering from Atrial Fibrillation who may be taking these medications”.
Our advice to these patients first and foremost, is to stay on their prescribed blood thinners as it is more dangerous to stop them than continue them. We advise patients to check with their GP and prescriber if they are concerned or to call our National Heart & Stroke Helpline to talk with an Irish Heart Foundation nurse on 1890 432 787.
The IHF is also calling for immediate engagement between the MMP and stroke physicians, geriatricians, neurologists, cardiologists and GPs “to discuss and educate where there are concerns regarding the use of new blood thinning drugs such as those mentioned in the MMP report”.
Irish skies lit up last Saturday night by extremely bright fireball
Many reports of Saturday night meteor, Astronomy Ireland says that an ‘extremely bright fireball’ was seen streaking across Irish skies on Saturday night before breaking up,
The organisation received “lots of reports” of sightings of the meteor which lit up the sky shortly after 9.30 pm.
“Fireballs are seen quite rarely, but when they appear on a clear evening when people are travelling from work we often get inundated with reports,” said astronomy Ireland chairman David Moore.
Reports from the public help to “determine the fireball’s path through the sky and find out if it is likely to have ended up on land or in the sea,”Mr Moore said.
Fireballs are very bright meteors caused by larger particles of debris from space, Astronomy Ireland said. They can seem close but occur “ very high up in the atmosphere, approximately 70 km and above”, it said.
They disintegrate at altitudes over 50 km and occasionally fragments survive and fall to earth, it said.
It urged anyone who saw the fireball to report sightings at astronomy.ie
In February last year a fireball burned up over Russia and generated shockwaves which circled the globe twice.
The asteroid on February 15th broke up above the city of Chelyabinsk about 1,500 km east of Moscow leaving more than 1,000 people injured. The event’s shock waves blew out windows and damaged buildings in several cities.
It was 17 metres in diameter when it entered the atmosphere and travelled over Russia at a speed of about 20km/second.
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