Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 January 2018
128. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the names of advisers he has appointed to his office since becoming Minister; the responsibilities of each; the previous employment of each; the salaries of each; and if he plans to make further appointments. [4869/18]
View answerThere are currently four Special Advisers employed by my Department.
There are three Special Advisers to the Tánaiste:
Ms Caitríona Fitzpatrick is my Special Adviser and Political Director. She was previously a Special Adviser in my role as Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
Mr. Matthew Lynch is my Special Adviser on Cabinet, Oireachtas and Leaders' Questions. He was previously in the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation as Special Adviser to Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD in her then role as Tánaiste.
Mr. Chris Donoghue is my Special Adviser and Communications Director. He was previously employed as Political Editor of the Communicorp group of radio stations and before that as a presenter on Newstalk.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of State for European Affairs is Mr. Paul Fox, who was previously employed as a Client Manager with PR 360 and before that as Adviser to Mr. Paudie Coffey TD at the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government.
The Special Advisers to the Tánaiste are on the Principal Officer salary scale. The Special Adviser to the Minister of State for European Affairs is on the Assistant Principal Officer salary scale.
All of these appointments were made in line with “Instructions to Personnel Officers - Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil” which included “Guidelines on staffing of Ministerial offices” issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I do not have plans to appoint additional special advisers at this time.
