Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Ivor Callely

Question:

59 Mr. Callely asked the Taoiseach the current number of personnel working in his ministerial offices and the office of his Minister(s) of State; the number of personnel that have been seconded or employed on a non-established contract basis; the competition process for filling such positions; the advertisements, if any, made regarding these appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3287/96]

The Taoiseach

The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following schedule.

SCHEDULE

Number of personnel working in the offices of the Taoiseach and Ministers of State and the number of personnel that have been seconded or employed on a non-established contract basis.

	Total Number (including Constituency Offices)	Number Seconded or Employed on a non-established contract basis (including Constituency Offices)
Taoiseach's Office
Civil Servant Executive and Clerical Staff,
Programme Manager, Economic Policy
Adviser, Special Adviser, Personal
Assistants and Personal Secretaries	20	7
MOS Mitchell's Office
Civil Servant Executive and Clerical Staff,
Special Adviser, Part-time Researcher,
Personal Assistant and Personal Secretary	10	4¹
MOS Higgins's Office
Civil Servant Executive and Clerical Staff,
Special Adviser, Personal Assistant and
Personal Secretary	9	3
MOS Carey's Office
Civil Servant Executive and Clerical Staff,
Special Adviser, Personal Assistant and
Personal Secretary	6	3

¹Includes a part-time researcher employed on a consultancy basis.

The personal and political staff referred to in Column 2 above were seconded or employed without competitive process or advertisements, as is normal practice for the filling of such vacancies. The only exception to this was in respect of one Personal Assistant vacancy for which applications were sought from other Government Departments. The successful candidate, an established civil servant, was selected following an interview process and has been seconded from her parent Department for the period of the Minister of State's tenure in office.