The two executive directors of Golden Vale, managing director Mr Jim Murphy and finance director Mr Liam Irvine, shared a combined remuneration of £487,000 (€618,362) last year, compared to £403,000 in 1997.

Salaries for the two executives rose from £241,000 to £291,000, performance-related bonuses from £70,000 to £89,000, pension contributions from £69,000 to £84,000 while benefits-in-kind were unchanged at £23,000.