Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Apr 1997

Vol. 477 No. 6

Priority Questions. - Ministerial Staff.

Michael Woods

Question:

4 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total cost, since his assuming office in December 1994, of non-Civil Service staff in his private and ministerial offices, including all administrative, advisory, research, personal assistant and public relations staff and staff working on his behalf in the Government Information Service; and if he will give details of the work which has been undertaken by these staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9912/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The total cost of unestablished civil servants employed on a contract basis and attached to my office from December 1994 to the end of December 1996 was £172,697. In addition, the total cost from November 1995 to the end of December 1996 of the staff of the research unit attached to my office was £100,893. These costs include salaries, allowances, overtime, employer's PRSI and superannuation.

I have no public relations staff working on my behalf. I have no function in relation to the Government Information Service, an office which is under the aegis of the Taoiseach's Department.

The function of personal advisory staff is to assist me in discharging my responsibilities as a public representative and a holder of Government office in a Department of State with responsibility for delivery of social welfare services to the public. The research unit provides research, analysis and advice on policy issues which arise outside my departmental responsibilities as one of three party leaders in Government.

Dr. Woods

The Minister said £172,000 was spent from December 1994 to December 1996. Spending on the research unit overlapped with that, costing a further £100,000 between some time in 1995 to December 1996. The total is therefore £272,697. Is that correct?

Proinsias De Rossa

Yes.

Dr. Woods

He said the people concerned assist him in research and dealing with documentation. Do they assist him with Government memoranda or preparation for a Government meeting in assessing and examining memos from Government?

Proinsias De Rossa

On the first point, the figures for unestablished civil servants appointed on a contract basis relate to the period from December 1994 to December 1996. The cost was £172,697. That is the normal complement of staff which a Minister in the Department of Social Welfare employs. It is the same complement and incurs relatively the same cost as staff employed on a similar basis by Deputy Woods when he was Minister. The additional cost in my Department as a result of my presence as Minister and party leader, over and above what it cost when Deputy Woods was Minister, is £100,893. That relates to five staff in a research unit appointed by me, based on a Government decision in November 1995. That figure is the cost to date. The only public relations staff operating on my behalf are the departmental staff.

The advisory group or research unit provides research, analysis and advice on policy issues which arise outside my departmental responsibilities as one of three party leaders in Government. All the staff, established and unestablished civil servants, who work to me sign the Official Secrets Act and are bound in the same way as any civil servant, whether established or unestablished, as to confidentiality. The research staff do not have access to Government papers.

Dr. Woods

The Minister said these were non-Civil Service staff only — is that right?

Proinsias De Rossa

Yes.

Dr. Woods

Are any Civil Service staff involved in the research unit? Does it contain a principal officer as a Civil Service staff member? How many members are in the research unit? Does the unit assist the Minister on Cabinet documents or documents going to Cabinet? Does it do other research which may be of help to him as party leader and otherwise as Minister?

Proinsias De Rossa

The research unit has no established civil servants working in it and, therefore, no principal officer is in charge of or involved with it. The unit has five members, two of whom are part-time — the effective number is four. As I indicated, it provides research, analysis and advice on policy issues which arise outside my departmental responsibilities as one of three party leaders in Government. It does not have access to Government papers.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am concerned about dwelling too long on any one question when a time limit is imposed upon us.

Dr. Woods

The Minister said that non-Civil Service staff in his Department sign the Official Secrets Act and the relevant circular. Does that apply to all those staff, although they are not employed through the Civil Service Commission? I take it these five staff are those previously mentioned in the House as being employed through an advertisement in the Forum newsletter, whereby applications were to be sent to the general secretary of Democratic Left. Are those staff requested to sign the Official Secrets Act? If so, why? To what official secrets would they have access?

Proinsias De Rossa

From his experience as a Minister the Deputy will be aware that all civil servants, whether established or unestablished, are obliged to sign the Official Secrets Act. That is a normal condition of employment. All the unestablished staff employed by me on a contract basis have so done.