Angela Kerins has confirmed her resignation as chief executive of the Rehab Group in the wake of controversy over salary levels paid to senior management at the under-fire charity.
In a statement issued this morning Ms Kerins said her resignation was "in the best interests" of both the Rehab Group and her family.
Ms Kerins walks away from her salary of up to €249,000 amid anger over executive pay and poor profit levels from a lottery run by the disability organisation.
In a letter to the Rehab board Ms Kerins said she was retiring.
Rehab released a message she sent to staff saying: “In recent months, I have become increasingly concerned about the toll that public controversy has taken on the Rehab Group and my own family.
“While I have dedicated my energies and ability to growing and developing the Rehab Group for the last 22 years, I am of the view that it is in the best interests of all concerned that I step down at this time. In doing so I hope the organisation can focus its entire energies on its core activity of developing and delivering services to people with disabilities and others who are disadvantaged.
“I want to thank my many colleagues for their great support throughout my time in Rehab. I wish everyone, the people who work for Rehab and the people who use its services, all the very best.”
Rehab says it is an independent international group of charities and commercial companies with more than 3,500 staff involved in health and social care, training and education, rehabilitation, employment and commercial services in Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, the Netherlands, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
It had a turnover of €183m in 2012.
It receives about €83m from the state but Ms Kerins has insisted her role as chief executive and the roles of the group’s employees should not be seen as public service and that executives are paid 20% below the going rate.
Ms Kerins repeatedly refused to disclose her salary over a number of years until she was asked to attend the Public Accounts Committee to address the charity’s finances and how state funds were used by the organisation.
Political strategist and lobbyist Frank Flannery resigned as a director of Rehab and from the Fine Gael backroom in the wake of controversy over spending and salary costs at Rehab. Mr Flannery lobbied for Rehab while also having access to senior Government figures through his role in Fine Gael.
Chairman Brian Kerr thanked Ms Kerins for her seven years at the helm.
He said: “Angela Kerins has led the Rehab Group with dedication and resolve. During her two decades with the organisation she has always striven to ensure that those who needed its services received the best possible support.”