01-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Uisce Eireann staff got over €13m in bonuses last year
The agency's annual report for 2024 shows that the €13.08m in performance-related pay represented a €2.5m increase on the pay-outs in
The report discloses that Uisce Éireann has made performance-related payments to 2,244 employees this year in respect of 2024, and this followed 1,631 staff receiving bonus payments for 2023.
The payments were approved by the agency's board last January, and the average payment was €5,830, which was down €650 on the average bonus payment of €6,480 for the prior year.
The annual report says Uisce Éireann's pay model 'is market-based and performance-related, comprising two elements, namely base pay and a performance-related award". It says performance is assessed against individual objectives and corporate objectives through a 'balanced scorecard process'.
No bonus payment was made to Uisce Éireann's ceo Niall Gleeson, and this is as a result of a Government direction in 2011.
The report also reveals that the number of employees earning over €100,000 last year totalled 421, which was an increase of 77 on the number in in that earning bracket in 2023.
The detailed figures show that four staff members earned between €250,000 and €275,000; five between €225,000 and €250,000; and nine between €200,000 and €225,000.
A further 22 earned between €175,000 and €200,000 while 35 earned between €150,000 and €175,000.
Overall staff costs increased by €44m to €158m and the report notes that payroll costs were higher in 2024 with increased average headcount year-on-year 'as transformation under the framework for future delivery of water services progressed in 2024'.
The average number employed increased by 630 from 1,478 to 2,108.
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Mr Gleeson's remuneration package remained at the same level of €275,000, made up of €225,000 in basic salary, €27,000 in pension contributions, and €23,000 in 'other short term' employee costs.
Last year, pre-tax profits at Uisce Eireann decreased by 15pc to €321m as operating costs rose by 5pc from €983.62m to €1.03bn. Revenues increased by 3pc from €1.56bn to €1.606bn.
The utility's revenues were made up of €1.13bn in Government subvention payments for domestic water billing, non-domestic revenues of €271.79m, and new connection revenues, which declined by 20pc to €195.24m.
The utility delivered Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (Ebtida) of €550m compared to €560m in 2023.
Chris McCarthy, the chief financial officer, said that Uisce Éireann 'delivered a strong financial performance' last year. The profit generated, together with necessary Government support in capital contributions of €572m, 'was invested to fund critical infrastructure projects and enabled the successful delivery of a €1.372bn capital investment programme in 2024'.
He added: 'This allowed us to improve the quality of our water supply, improve our compliance with standards, and increase capacity for housing and development to support economic growth.'
The utility's spending on hospitality for staff and clients last year increased by 63.5pc, from €129,000 to €211,000. This included €194,000 on staff hospitality and €17,000 on client hospitality.
Uisce Eireann paid out €4.42m in legal costs and made settlements of €2.01m, relating to 41 legal cases. Cash funds at the end of 2024 totalled €345m.
