Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019
676. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of advisers and special advisers employed by her Department in 2017 and 2018 and to date in 2019; the areas of expertise covered by such advisers; the annual salaries associated with same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6565/19]
View answerFollowing commencement of this Government on the 6th May 2016, I was appointed as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I appointed two Special Advisers. Both appointments were made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Instructions for Ministerial Appointments.
Following the appointment of our current Taoiseach on the 14th June 2017, I retained my Ministerial appointment to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and re-appointed both as my Special Advisers with effect from that date.
The duties assigned to Special Advisers are set out in paragraph 2 of Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 and are as follows:-
11(2) A Special Adviser to a Minister or to a Minister of State, as the case may be, shall—
(a) assist the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, by—
(i) providing advice,
(ii) monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of Government objectives that relate to the Department, as requested by the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, and
(iii) performing such other functions as may be directed by the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, that are not otherwise provided for in this Act and do not involve the exercise of any specific powers conferred on the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, or any other office holder by or under any other Act, and
(b) be accountable to the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, in the performance of those functions.
One the these Special Advisers provides advice on communications while the other advises on matters of policy.
Both my Special Advisers have been placed on the Principal Officer Standard Scale - PPC and are both currently on the 5th point of this scale.
