Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has announced the removal of the pay cap on maximum pay for AIB and PTSB.
This comes after the State sold its remaining shares in AIB today.
The €500,000 pay cap was removed for Bank of Ireland shortly after the bank returned to full private ownership in 2022.
The State sold a 2.06% stake in AIB at a price of €6.94 per share today. This will generate about €305.3m upon settlement and brings to €19.8 billion the total amount returned to the State to date from its investment in AIB.
Minister Donohoe said that “of course any decision on bank pay will be viewed critically by some people.”
He said the pay cap had been raised for years by banks but the Government’s position was the issue was tied to ownership by the State in banks.
“I don’t believe it is correct to set pay in a company we don’t have a single share,” he said today.
In a statement, Mr Donohoe said that he was announcing a further normalisation of the relationship between the State and the domestic banking system, which means the removal of certain crisis-era measures which continue to be in place today, including certain restrictions pertaining to remuneration.
“These restrictions were introduced by way of contract with the banks recapitalised by the State following the financial crisis. When introduced, these contractual restrictions had no expiry date or sunset clause,” the Minister said.
He said the maximum pay cap of €500,000 for an individual was removed for Bank of Ireland at the time of the 2022 Retail Banking Review but retained for AIB and PTSB.
“This maximum pay cap will now also be removed for both AIB and PTSB. This ensures a level playing field between Bank of Ireland and AIB which is consistent with the shareholding position,” he said.
“Removing the salary cap for PTSB at this juncture is to ensure that it is not put at a competitive disadvantage,” he added.
The State still holds a 57% stake in Permanent TSB.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that the sale of AIB bank shares by the Government “was a botched deal for the taxpayer”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended Minister Donohoe’s performance, saying he had handled the sale of shares “very well”.
“About €29 billion was invested, €29 billion has been recovered. We have a fully functioning bank,” Mr Martin told the chamber.
Earlier, the Minister said the sale of AIB shares was well received with significant demand from a large number of high quality international institutional investors.
“This accelerated bookbuild (ABB) transaction represents our seventh such disposal in AIB and will reduce the State’s directed shareholding in the bank to zero. This is an important milestone in delivering on the Government’s policy of returning the banking sector to private ownership,” he added.
He said that on an overall basis, based off current market prices, the State is about €0.6 billion above break-even on its €29.4 billion investment in AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB.
But the failed Irish Nationwide Building Society and the former Anglo Irish Bank has also cost the State €34.5 billion.
AIB group chief executive Colin Hunt said that reaching this milestone is a significant day for the bank.
“AIB profoundly regrets that the institution had to be rescued by the State almost two decades ago and owes an immense debt of gratitude to Irish taxpayers for the support provided during that challenging time,” Colin Hunt said.
“Since then, our focus has been on rebuilding trust, repaying the State and continuing to support our customers, communities and the wider economy,” he added.
The CEO said the group has undergone significant transformation and through the implementation of its proven strategy, it is well-positioned to continue generating value for all its stakeholders over the medium-term.
