asked the Minister for Finance the number of additional staff appointed in his Department and the changes made in personnel since 15th March, 1973; the reasons for the additions and changes; and the names of staff employed on public relations and their qualifications for such offices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Department of Finance Personnel.
119.
No additional staff were appointed to the Department of Finance since 15th March, 1973.
In regard to changes in personnel, six officers were appointed to fill existing vacancies, one officer was transferred on loan as Private Secretary to the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Welfare and a second was transferred on loan to my office from the Department of Education.
Mr. B. Cronin and Lieutenant-Colonel J. Breen have been employed on public relations in the Department of Finance since October, 1970, and April, 1969, respectively; both have wide experience in this field. By order of the outgoing Government made on 13th March, 1973, Mr. Cronin was appointed to a permanent position in the Civil Service in the public interest. A similar order was made by the same Government in respect of Lieutenant-Colonel J. Breen on 1st July, 1970.
Can the Minister say whether, in relation to the order made on 13th March, any other persons were appointed in the public interest?
The question relates to officers in the Department of Finance and I can only answer for officers in the Department of Finance. There were, I know, 108 persons appointed by the last administration in the public interest during their term of office.
I do not wish to embarrass the Minister. Maybe he does not know about it, although I suspect he does, but I would inform him that that order also included the appointment of the brother of the present Minister for Finance.
The outgoing Government can accept responsibility for their own decisions——
They do accept it.
——including the appointment of 108 persons in the public interest while they were in office.