An inquiry launched into the remuneration of semistate chief executives has found that five cases clearly breached Government guidelines, it has emerged.

However, it is understood that the report, which investigated over 100 State bodies, found little abuse of Government pay guidelines.

The report was ordered after the controversy surrounding former Bord na Mona managing director, Dr Eddie O'Connor's pay package, which included more than £66,000 of unvouched expenses over a nine year period. Page 2