The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of political staff employed in my Department and the number of civil servants in Ministerial offices is set out in tabular form as requested. It should be noted that under the arrangements for the 32nd Dáil, information regarding the employment of Parliamentary Assistants and Secretarial Assistants is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial offices in my Department since 2015 have been in line with the relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines and Government Decision for the 31st and 32nd Dáil respectively. The table refers to the staffing levels for the Tánaiste and former Minister Frances Fitzgerald, the offices of former Minister of State, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, current Minister of State David Stanton and of course, my own office.
Mr. Pat Breen TD. is the Minister for State for Data Protection at my Department and the Department of the Taoiseach. He is also Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Employment and Social Protection with special responsibility for Trade, Employment Business and the EU Digital Market.
Mr. Finian McGrath T.D is the Minister of State with my Department with special responsibility for Disability issues. He is also Minister of State at the Departments of Social Protection and Health.
The staffing arrangements in respect of both Minister of State Breen (and his predecessor Minister of State Dara Murphy) and Minister of State McGrath are the responsibility of their respective parent Departments.
In addition to the political staff employed in my Department both the Minister and Minister of State have a serving civil servant assigned to each of them as a private secretary. These staff are not seconded to our offices but are assigned, along with other civil servants, as part of the Corporate Services function to the Ministerial offices to undertake the administrative duties in those offices and the numbers fall within the arrangements referred to earlier.
Staffing as of January 2015 Frances Fitzgerald T.D. (31st Dáil
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Post
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Salary Scale
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Special Advisor (100%)
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PO Standard Scale (Non-PPC)
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Special Advisor (50%)
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
|
Special Advisor (50%)
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
|
Personal Secretary (100%)
|
Personal Secretary Scale (PPC)
|
|
Personal Secretary (100%)
|
Personal Secretary Scale (PPC)
|
|
Personal Assistant
|
Personal Assistant Scale (PPC)
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Staffing as of January 2015 Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (31st Dáil)
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Post
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Salary Scale
|
|
Personal Assistant (100%)
|
Personal Assistant Scale (PPC)
|
|
Personal Secretary (100%)
|
Personal Secretary Scale (PPC)
|
|
Civilian Driver (50%)
|
Civilian Driver Scale (PPC)
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|
Civilian Driver (50%)
|
Civilian Driver Scale (PPC)
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Staffing as of May 2016 Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald T.D, (32nd Dáil)*
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Post
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Salary Scale
|
|
Special Advisor (100%)
|
PO Higher Scale (Non-PPC)
|
|
Special Advisor (100%)
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
|
Special Advisor (100%)
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
* Specific sanction for an additional Special Advisor post was received in light of Minister Fitzgerald’s appointment as Tánaiste
Minister of State at Department of Justice & Equality David Stanton August 2017
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Post
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Salary Scale
|
|
Civilian Driver (50%)
|
Civilian Driver Scale (PPC)
|
|
Civilian Driver (50%)
|
Civilian Driver Scale (PPC)
|
Minister for Justice & Equality Charlie Flanagan August 2017
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Post
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Salary Scale
|
|
Special Advisor
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
|
Special Advisor
|
PO Standard Scale (PPC)
|
*Two Garda Drivers are assigned to the Minister for Justice and Equality and are staff of An Garda Síochána
