A MEMBER of the board of the National Consumer Agency has called on Celia Larkin to step down from the board or to continue on a “nil fees” basis.
Consumer advocate Eddie Hobbs said he conveyed his views to Ms Larkin after reading a report in The Irish Timesthat Irish Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton personally authorised a fast-track loan of €40,000 from the building society to her.
“As far as I was concerned, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Mr Hobbs said. “I suggested to her that she should step down from the board or continue on a nil fees basis.
“I conveyed to her that there was a need to protect the NCA and its directors. The NCA standards have to be higher than anywhere else because of its nature.”
He said the disclosure reinforced perceptions of cronyism, which was not beneficial to the consumer agency, irrespective of the validity of the perceptions.
Earlier this month he had offered to step down from the board or to forgo the annual fees of €14,000 paid to board members. This was based on the fact that he had been critical of the competence of the Government and of Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan in particular.
Attempts to contact Ms Larkin for a comment were unsuccessful.