Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2012
98. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Taoiseach if he will publish details of all allowances paid to staff in his Department; the business case made by his Department in respect of these allowances to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the cost of each individual allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41420/12]
View answerDetails of the allowances paid to staff in my Department are set out in the table.
|
Name/Description of Allowance |
Amount of allowance |
|
Press Officers "on-call" allowance |
5 hours overtime at double-time every week |
|
Private Secretary to the Taoiseach |
€24,427 per annum |
|
Private Secretary to Minister of State (including Private Secretary to Leader of the Seanad) |
€19,653 per annum |
|
Assistant Private Secretary to the Taoiseach |
€19,653 per annum |
|
Shift allowance in Government Communications Unit |
1/6th gross salary |
|
Minister of State Meeting Allowance |
€17,205 per annum |
|
Private Secretary to Secretary General |
€10,370 per annum |
|
Personal Assistant to Taoiseach's Private Office |
€7,125 per annum |
|
Taoiseach's Diary Secretary |
€7,125 per annum |
|
Machine Allowance |
€847.60 per annum |
|
Paper Keeper Allowance |
€3,176 per annum |
|
Clothing Allowance (this is vouched and payable to 6/7 staff in Protocol / Government Press Office only) |
€444 per annum |
|
Franking Allowance |
€1,783 per annum |
|
Child Allowance (payable to certain staff recruited before 1979 only) |
€113 per child, per annum |
|
Footwear Allowance (payable to Service Officers for outdoor duties only) |
€65 per annum |
|
Tea/Meal Allowance (payable to Service Officers who work late on Dáil sitting days only) |
€4.10 on Dáil sitting days |
Former Private Secretaries receive a portion of the Private Secretary allowance when they vacate their positions. The three former Private Secretaries in my Department receive €12,214, €9,287 and €5,185 per annum respectively. The Review of Public Service Allowances published last month included the retention element of the Private Secretary Allowances, the Personal Assistant to the Taoiseach's Private Office Allowance and the Clothing Allowance in the classes of allowances to be abolished for new beneficiaries.
My Department also pays a higher duties allowance to one member of staff and a Deputy Head of Division Allowance to a member of staff on secondment from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the instruction of that Department.
The business cases made by my Department to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are available on that Department's website, www.per.gov.ie.
