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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Mar 1983

Vol. 340 No. 10

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

3.

asked the Taoiseach if he will give the following information in respect of each personal assistant, adviser, consultant, secretary, typist or any other category employed from outside the civil service in a temporary, part-time or permanent capacity or contractual capacity, for the period 18 December 1982 to date: name, rank, remuneration, terms of conditions of employment, if seconded, and, if so, from where.

I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question asked by him on 26 January 1983.

The only additional appointment since then was in the Government Information Services. Mr. Fergus Finlay has been employed as a special assistant in press and information services, at a salary of £22,400 per annum. The engagement is on a contract basis for the duration of the Government. Mr. Finlay is on leave of absence from the private sector.

Does this cover the various Ministers of State in relation to people assigned to his Department on a part-time or full-time basis?

My reply relates to all my Department.

And all the Taoiseach's Ministers of State?

Including some who may not have taken up duty? Are there some appointments pending?

No. I do not understand the Deputy's question. Is he talking about Ministers of State taking up duty or other people taking up duty?

The Taoiseach should know that we are talking here about appointments outside the civil service and his Department is rather heavily loaded in that respect at the moment. In respect of the Taoiseach's reply are there other people who are to be appointed who have not yet taken up duty?

No other appointments are envisaged at present.

Could the Taoiseach give any indication of the total cost in a year of the appointments made by him and his Ministers of State in that Department from outside the public service?

The relevant information was given in a reply to a previous question to which the information given in this reply can be added. I recall on the previous occasion, when I was asked this question, pointing out the broad correspondence between the appointments we have made and the appointments made by my predecessor taking account of the fact that in some cases people appointed in the public interest have been appointed by Governments and by the previous Government in particular.

The Taoiseach has a poor case to defend there.

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