MR Paddy Hughes, the acting chief executive of Bord na Mona, has been appointed managing director to succeed Dr Eddie O'Connor who resigned four weeks ago. Mr Hughes, who has worked for Bord na Mona for the last 37 years was group chief operations officer under Dr O'Connor.
His appointment is effective immediately and will run until November 1999. Dr O'Connor resigned after the board concluded that his remuneration package broke Government guidelines. Dr O'Connor contested this and received a severance package of almost £1 million.
When the controversy first broke, Bord na Mona management issued a strong statement that there were divisions among its members concerning a report on the company. The statement, issued in the name of Mr Hughes, Dr O'Connor and Mr John Hourican, the chief financial officer, said they rejected totally any suggestions of a management split.
No details of Mr Hughes' remuneration package were revealed yesterday. Prior to his appointment as acting chief executive, Mr Hughes worked in Dr O'Connor's office along with Mr John Hourican.
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