Ministerial Staff

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Questions (184, 185)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

195 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the pay of all special advisers to Ministers for whom he approved exceptions (details supplied). [29808/11]

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Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

196 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the name, pay and qualifications of all 14 special advisors to Ministers for whom he approved salary cap exceptions; and to which Minister each of the 14 special advisors has been appointed. [29902/11]

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Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I propose to take questions 195 and 196 together.

The table below sets out the information as requested by the Deputy.

List of Special Advisers above min of PO standard — Oct 2011

Department	Minister/Minister of State	Name of Adviser	Sanctioned Pay Rate
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources	Minister Rabbitte	Simon Nugent	€97,200
	Mr Nugent graduated with a BA Mod (Political Science) from Dublin University in 1988. His professional career included 3 years in Brussels working as a European Policy Analyst. Subsequently he worked as Director Policy and then Chief Executive of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland. Prior to his appointment as Special Adviser to the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources he worked as CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association. Mr Nugent is a former member of the National Economic and Social Council. He was a Director of Skillnets Ltd for 3 years.
	Minister Rabbitte	Finbar O’Malley	€83,337
	Mr O’Malley is a barrister and worked previously as advisory counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, as a special adviser in the Office of the Tánaiste and as a legal and policy adviser in the Labour Party.
Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs	Minister Deenihan	Sean Mac Cartaigh	€83,337
	Mr. Mac Cartaigh has significant and wide ranging experience both in Ireland and abroad in the areas of Arts and Culture gathered over a number of years and brings this wealth of experience to his role as Ministerial advisor. Prior to assuming the role of Ministerial Advisor Mr. Mac Cartaigh was Director of Public Affairs in the Arts Council.
Education and Skills	Minister Ruairí Quinn	John Walsh	€92,672
	Academic Qualifications B.A. 1968, H.Dip 1969, M.Ed 1998 He was Education Editor with the Irish Independent as well as Irish correspondent for a range of international education publications. He also spent a period working as education correspondent with The Irish Times. He is a former consultant to the OECD where he was involved in preparing four publications relating to teacher professional development, student motivation, adult education, and new forms of school management.
	Minister Ruairí Quinn	Deirdre Grant	€86,604
	Academic Qualifications B.A. Honours Communication Studies 1995. M Phil HIV/Aids and Society 2005. Ms. Grant formerly worked in media relations and is the Director of Communications at the Department.
Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	Minister Bruton	Ciaran Conlon	€127,000
	Mr. Conlon’s qualifications: BA (Economics) NUI Maynooth, MA (Economics) UCD
Environment, Community and Local Government	Minister Hogan	Sean McKeown	€92,672
	Mr McKeown was serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Kilkenny County Enterprise Board. He has served as CEO of the Board since 2003 and in that time he has built up an extensive understanding and know-how in the areas of business, community and local government matters.
Finance	Minister Noonan	Mary Kenny	€83,337
	Ms Kenny has over 20 years service in the Houses of the Oireachtas, She has acted to Minister Noonan in the Department of Health from 1994 to 1997. She has also acted as Special Adviser to him during his period as Fine Gael Party Leader.
Public Expenditure and Reform	Minister Howlin	Anne Byrne	€83,337
	Diploma on Social Science, Maynooth. Member of the Medical Council 1984-1993, Programme Manager Department of Health 1993-1994, Programme Manager Department of the Environment 1995-1997, Adviser to Leas Cheann Comhairle 2007-2011
	Minister Howlin	Rónán O’Brien	€114,000
	Education BA (history and politics) — University College Dublin Diploma in Legal Studies — Dublin Institute of Technology Professional and Political Experience 1997-2002: Political advisor / chef de cabinet to Ruairí Quinn TD, leader of the Labour Party 2003-2011: Communications and Marketing Director, Chartered Accountants in Ireland
Health	Minister Reilly	Mark Costigan	€92,672
	Mr Costigan has considerable relevant experience for the job. Mr Costigan was for five years the Deputy Government Press Secretary and prior to that he had a distinguished career as a journalist, including holding the position of Political Editor for Today FM.
Social Protection	Minister Burton	Ed Brophy	€127,796
	Mr Brophy qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and has extensive professional experience in legal and regulatory affairs. He worked in Endesa Ireland as the Legal and Procurement Director. Previously he was a Senior Associate in Arthur Cox Solicitors. He also has a Masters in Economic Policy.
Transport, Tourism and Sport	Minister Varadkar	Brian Murphy	€105,837
	Mr. Murphy was Director of Commercial Affairs with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association and is A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Minister Coveney	Fergal Leamy (Has Vacated the Position)	€130,000
	Academic Qualifications First class honours in Business and Law, UCD 1999 Professional Experience 1999-2002 Senior Business Analyst, McKinsey and Company, 2002-2005 Head of Commercial Development, Whitbread-David Lloyd Leisure, 2005-2007 Engagement Manager, McKinsey and Company, 2007-2011 Development Director Greencore, CEO Greencore USA, Greencore Integration Lead.