Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 19 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ministerial Costs.

Ray Burke

Question:

59 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and cost of staff in his general and private ministerial offices and the general and private ministerial offices of the Minister(s) of State at his Department; the number and cost of contract and part time staff employed in such offices; the cost of all travel undertaken by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department since appointment to office outlining the destinations visited, the duration, dates and purpose of the trips; the total expenses incurred by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department; and the cost and names of consultancy services to his Department and each State body under the aegis of his Department to date in 1995. [15301/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The information the Deputy requires is as follows: In my private office in the Department of Foreign Affairs the staff consists of one special adviser, a private secretary at first secretary grade, a higher executive officer, an executive officer, three clerical officers and one clerical assistant typist.

My constituency office consists of one higher executive officer, a personal assistant, HEO scale, a clerical officer, a clerical assistant and a clerical assistant typist.

The office of the Minister of State, Deputy Burton, in my Department consists of a special adviser, a higher executive officer, an executive officer, a clerical officer and a clerical assistant typist.

The Minister of State's constituency office staff consists of a personal assistant, staff officer equivalent, and a staff officer. She also employs a civilian driver.

The office of the Minister of State, Deputy Gay Mitchell, in my Department consists of a higher executive officer, a staff officer, a clerical officer and a clerical assistant typist. The Minister of State does not have a constituency office in my Department.

In the Office of the Tánaiste, a programme manager, two special advisers, two personal secretaries, at AP and CO grade respectively, and a clerical officer are employed.

The civil servants listed above are paid in accordance with Department of Finance sanctioned salary scales appropriate to their grade. Salary payments for the positions of programme manager and special advisers have been detailed in previous replies to the Deputy and are a matter of public record.

In 1995 the Department of Foreign Affairs has employed the following consultants: Mr. Dennis Driscoll was employed as consultant with the Legal Division. His remuneration costs in 1995 exclusive of PRSI were £27.326.53. Mr. Declan Fitzgerald was retained to assist in the technical work associated with the introduction of a new computerised financial management system. His consultancy fees were £5,694.60 plus withholding tax of £2,105.40.

Ms Mairead Mullaney was appointed to upgrade the Department's Library. The total cost of her fees were £8,770 plus withholding tax of £3,240.

The system of identifying, designing, appraising and evaluating aid projects requires the assistance of sectoral experts. The Development Co-operation Division uses suitable consultants to assist in carrying out this work. The following consultants were employed since 1 January 1995 to undertake specific projects in the areas listed:

	£
Edmund Cahill	Microinformatics Training (Lesotho)	2,500
Patrick Lavin	Education Planning mission (Tanzania)	14,250
Philip Ryan	Review of Centre of Accounting Studies project (Lesotho)	6,769.95
Florence Armstrong	Kasama education project (Zambia)	13,350
John Grindle	Zambia Country Review	12,600
Philomena Tuite	Land Use — Northern Zambia	5,000
Donal Corcoran	Computerisation of Division's Accounts	5,505
Joe Mullen	Review of Kilosa District Programme (Tanzania)	9,000
Boem Van Ravensway	Fellowship Programme Review	9,700
Jim McCabe	Fellowship Programme Review	6,500
Clodagh McCuminiskey	Research for Fellowship Review	240
Cathy Gaynor	Development of Gender Guidelines for the Aid Programme	10,500
Winifred O'Neill	Review of Cytology Screening project (Lesotho)	3,250
Philip Callery	Review of Ministry of Works project (Lesotho)	2,250
CIE International Division	Feasibility study on rehabilitation of railway line (Mozambique)	25,000
Brian Lewis	Livestock Development project (Tanzania)	4,500
Garvan McCann	Livestock Development Review (Tanzania)	5,500
Ann Bourke-Garcia	Kilosa health project (Tanzania)	4,000
Sr. Mona Tyndall	Kitwe Maternity project (Zambia)	4,250
Cliona Foley-Nolan	HIV testing project (Zambia)	3,750
Shane Allwright	Jimma health project (Ethiopia)	3,250
John Kevaney	Jimma health project (Ethiopia)	4,000
Bob Bowman	Tourism project (Zambia)	4,250