Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Jul 1991

Vol. 410 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Top Level Appointments.

Michael Bell

Question:

8 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, having regard to the reply given by the Minister for Finance to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 28 October 1987 and No. 41 of 29 May 1991 regarding the Top Level Appointments Committee, he will outline in relation to the posts of secretary, deputy secretary, assistant secretary, and departmental, professional and general equivalents in his Department: (1) the name and date of appointment of all those currently serving, whether under the TLAC system or otherwise, the number not appointed under the TLAC system, and the projected date of retirement on the basis of contract or age (2) the number of those appointed at assistant secretary level who are remunerated on a performance basis and those not so remunerated (3) the number so appointed in each year from 1987 to date and (4) the date the new administrative budget system was agreed for the period 1991-1993 with the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Mr. O'Kennedy

(1) The information requested by the Deputy in part (1) of his question is set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.

(2) The six Assistant Secretaries are remunerated on a performance related basis.

(3) The numbers at Assistant Secretary level appointed each year since 1987 are as follows: *1987 1; 1988 Nil; 1989 4; 1990 Nil; 1991 Nil.

*Mr. John Loughrey was appointed Assistant Secretary in my Department on 9 March 1987, and was promoted to Secretary of the Department of Energy on 5 January 1989.

(4) The administrative budget system for the period 1991-93 in respect of my Department was agreed with the Minister for Finance on 15 March 1991.

Tabular Statement

Grade	Name	Date of Appointment	TLAC/Other	Retirement Date: Age Regulation
Secretary	Michael Dowling	17 October 1989	TLAC/	16 October 1996
			(expiry date of term of Office)
Deputy Secretary	Thomas F. Mockler	26 April 1984	TLAC/	16 July 1999
Assistant Secretary	Bart Brady	13 March 1989	TLAC/	11 March 2009
	Bart Brady Denis Byrne	29 December 1989	TLAC/	12 December 2013
	SP MacCaba	12 March 1980	Other 15 March 1993
	Seamus Healy	13 July 1989	TLAC/	30 September 2012
	John Malone	13 March 1989	TLAC/	6 January 2016
	Patrick Power	13 June 1983	Other 1 August 1996
Director of Veterinary Services	R.G. Cullen	4 July 1983	Other 20 May 1994
Chief Inspector	Austin Mescal	10 June 1982	Other 16 November 1994

Number not appointed under TLAC system = 4.