At a Government meeting held on the 15th March, 2011, it was decided to reduce the number of staff permitted in Minister's Private Offices from 10 to 8 and Minister of State's Private Offices from 7 to 5. The number of staff permitted in the Minister's Constituency Offices was reduced from 6 to 4 and the Ministers of State's Constituency Offices from 5 to 3. The staffing of these offices at my Department is in accordance with these guidelines. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached table.
MINISTER – Private and Constituency Offices
July 2011
|
NUMBER OF STAFF (*FTE)
|
+GROSS ANNUAL SALARY COST
|
PRIVATE OFFICE
|
8
|
€434,060
|
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE
|
4
|
€193,881
|
July 2013
|
NUMBER OF STAFF
|
GROSS ANNUAL SALARY COST
|
PRIVATE OFFICE
|
8
|
**€506,247
|
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE
|
4
|
€197,147
|
Minister of State Ciarán Cannon, T.D. – Private and Constituency Offices
July 2011
|
NUMBER OF STAFF
|
GROSS ANNUAL SALARY COST
|
PRIVATE OFFICE
|
5
|
€193,895
|
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE
|
*2.8
|
€122,759
|
July 2013
|
NUMBER OF STAFF
|
GROSS ANNUAL SALARY COST
|
PRIVATE OFFICE
|
4
|
€168,276
|
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE
|
3
|
€116,181
|
Private Secretary appointed on 7
th
June, 2011, to Mr Seán Sherlock, T.D.
Minister of State for Research & Innovation in the Department of Education & Skills
-
|
Gross Annual Salary Cost
|
July 2011
|
€56,662
|
July 2013
|
€59,851
|
* Full time equivalent
+ The salaries paid to the civil servants are in accordance with the Department of Finance salary scales for the relevant grades. The salaries paid to the non-civil servant staff are in accordance with the Department of Finance Instructions relating to the Appointment of Ministerial Private Office Staff.
** Includes maternity leave absence temporarily covered since 30th April 2013 who is currently being paid at the first point of the Principal Office grade (€75,647).