The executive directors of The Irish Times Ltd and the non-executive chairmen of The Irish Times Ltd and The Irish Times Trust shared remuneration of €2.94 million last year.

The equivalent sum for 2005 was €2.8 million, although the numbers are not strictly comparable as the average number of executive directors was five in 2006 and six in 2005.

The remuneration for the executive directors and chairmen in 2006 included salaries of €1.48 million, down from €1.62 million in 2005. Pension contributions rose to €754,000 from €712,000. Benefits-in-kind declined to €113,000 from €123,000. Directors' fees are not included in these figures.

Performance-related payments to the executive directors rose to €600,000 in 2006 from €362,000 in 2005.

The highest-paid executive directors were editor Geraldine Kennedy and managing director Maeve Donovan. Their salaries both stood at €362,000 at the end of 2006.

Deputy managing director Liam Kavanagh had a salary of €240,000. The salary of deputy editor Paul O'Neill was €185,000 and the salary of managing editor Eoin McVey was €139,000.

Brian Patterson, former non-executive chairman of The Irish Times Ltd, had a salary of €101,000.

The Irish Times Ltd is the publisher of The Irish Times. The company is ultimately controlled by The Irish Times Trust, whose chairman, Prof David McConnell, received remuneration of €48,000.

Former Irish Life & Permanent chief executive David Went became chairman of The Irish Times Ltd earlier this year. He waived director's fees payable to him last year. Non-executive directors received fees of €12,700 in 2006, with an additional €10,600 for service on any board sub-committees.