Vol. 501 No. 6
3 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the number of civil servants in his Department seconded from other Departments; the cost of the shift allowance paid by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4437/99]
There are 19 staff working in my Department on secondment from other Government Departments. Details of the work they are doing at my Department and the names of their parent Departments are included in the schedule which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Only five of the 19 are in receipt of a shift allowance. The current total annual cost of the shift allowance, which is equivalent to one sixth of their salary, is £14,868.69. These officers are based in the communications unit which is operational 18 hours a day. This, understandably, necessitates the operation of a flexible rota of three different work shifts: 6 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 12 midnight.
SCHEDULE
Nineteen Officers on secondment to the Department of the Taoiseach from other Government Departments
Two officers are working as part of my Department's strategic management initiative team on secondment from the Civil Service Commission and the Central Statistics Office; one is working on Agenda 2000 matters in the European and international affairs division on secondment from the Department of Foreign Affairs; one is working as an usher on secondment from the Houses of the Oireachtas; one is working as millennium projects development officer on secondment from the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation; and one is based in the finance unit on a job-sharing basis on secondment from the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
Five are serving in the communications unit – one each from the following Departments: Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Central Statistics Office; Public Enterprise, and Finance.
The following members of my personal staff are on secondment for the lifetime of the current Government: my private secretary is on secondment from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; the Government press secretary is on secondment from the Department of Finance; the administrator of my constituency office is on secondment from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and four persons are appointed as personal assistants – one each from the following Departments: Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Agriculture and Food; Finance, and Social, Community and Family Affairs.
