Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

157 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of ad hoc advisory groups in relation to policy or implementation established in his Department; the number of statutory committees; the number of other permanent groups; the number of interdepartmental groups; the cost of each in a full year; and the cost of individual advisers in the same period. [8597/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The information sought by the Deputy, including costs for the calendar year 1998, is contained in the following tabular statement:

Category	Number of Groups,Committees orAdvisers	Total Costfor 1998*
Ad hoc advisory groups	28	£97,521.57
Statutory Committees	22	£29,671.50
Other PermanentGroups	14	£154,892.06
InterdepartmentalGroups	5	£50,820.

As regards individual advisers in the same period, their costs amounted to £60,737.85.

*The total amount of costs shown is the best available information.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

158 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the number of ad hoc advisory groups in relation to policy or implementation established in his Department; the number of statutory committees; the number of other permanent groups; the number of interdepartmental groups; the cost of each in a full year; and the cost of individual advisers in the same period. [8598/99]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

The information, including the cost to my Department's Vote, requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Name of Group	Type	Date ofEstablishment	Annual Costof Group	Annual Costof Adviser(s)
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development (LURD OP) (1994-1999)	Set up under the OP for duration of programme	1994	c. £3,000	£80,000 (75% recouped from EU)
Technical Assistance Steering Group for LURD OP (1994-1999)	Same as above	1995	c. £3,000	Same as above
Sub-Programme 2 (LURD) Management Group	Same as above	1998	Nil	None
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Tourism OP (1994-1999)	Same as above	1995	c. £1,500	£70,000 (75% recouped from EU)
Co-ordinating Committee for Tourism OP (1994-1999)	Same as above	1994	Nil	None
Steering Committee for the External Evaluator for the Tourism OP	Same as above	1995	Nil	Same as above
Selection Committee for Pilot Initiative for Tourism and the Environment (under the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-1999	ad hoc /interdepartmental	1998	c. £400	Included in cost of advisor for the Monitoring Committee of the Tourism OP
Tourism Measure Working Group of the EU Co-Funded Northern Ireland/ Ireland Interreg II Programme, 1994-1999†	Cross-Border committee composed of Departments and agencies set up under the Programme for its duration	1995	c. £800	Nil
Cross-Border Team for International Fund for Ireland Tourism Programme†	Cross-Border committee composed of departmental and agency representatives	1987	c. £400	Nil
Joint Co-Ordinating Committee for Shannon Erne Waterway†	Cross-Border committee composed of departmental and agency representatives	1994	c. £1,000	Nil
Name of Group	Type	Date ofEstablishment	Annual Costof Group	Annual Costof Adviser(s)
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Operational Programme for URBAN – Ireland	Same as above	1996	c. £3,000	£23,300 (75% recouped from EU)
(URBAN OP) URBAN Management Group	Same as above	1999	Nil	None
Irish Sports Council	Non-statutory	1996	£5,654	£391,141*
National Drugs Strategy Team	Non-statutory	1996	£67,554*	None
Interdepartmental Group on the National Drugs Strategy	Interdepartmental	1996	Nil	None
Inter-Departmental Policy Committee on Local Development	Interdepartmental	1997**	1,191	None
Pilot Tax Relief Scheme for Certain Resort Areas Review Group	Ad hoc Review Group	1997	Nil	None
Regional Tourism Marketing Initiative (RTMI) Committee	Ad hoc to oversee initiative	1998	Nil	None
50 Metre Swimming Pool Project Team	Ad hoc to oversee tender competition	1998	Nil	c. £50,000***
Reconvened Code of Ethics Committee	Ad hoc to review code	1998	£1,004	None
Departmental Y2K Monitoring Committee	Ad Hoc	1998	Nil	None
Young People's Facilities and Services Fund Assessment Committee	Interdepartmental	1998	Nil****	None

*Includes pay and non-pay costs in 1998.

**Reconstituted.

***Not yet finalised

****Expenses paid to some members from Vote of Department of Education and Science

†Co-chaired with Northern Ireland

In addition, my special adviser receives an annual salary of £39,871, Mr. Pádraig Ó hUiginn, who was appointed by me as part-time consultant to advise me on policy aspects relating to the work of my Department is paid an annual fee of £1,000 and Mr. Bart Cronin, who was appointed by me as a consultant, under contract, to handle press and information matters in my Department, receives an annual salary of £26,252.