Jim Higgins
Ceist:3 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of staff employed in his constituency office; the salary scales of those staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Constituency Office Staff.
The information requested by the Deputy is included in the following schedule which I propose to circulate.
There are ten staff employed in the constituency office in Longford and Dublin.
Employment of Officers in the Taoiseach's Constituency Office.
|
Constituency Office Staffing |
Salary |
|
1 x Adviser |
£21,000 pa |
|
2 x Personal Assistants |
(i) £16,219 pa |
|
(ii) £17,145 pa |
|
|
1 x Personal Secretary |
£269.55 plus £14.93 allowance pw |
|
1 x Executive Officer |
£12,946 pa |
|
3 x Clerical Officers |
(i) £209.50 pw |
|
(ii) £254.86 pw |
|
|
(iii) £211.67 pw |
|
|
2 x Clerical Assistants |
(i) £171.45 pw |
|
(ii) £163.52 + £14.10 allowance pw |
Does the Taoiseach not think it is a particular extravagance with taxpayers' money that he has to employ ten people at a cost of over £120,000 to the taxpayer to look after his own backyard in County Longford, when the rest of us, as ordinary Deputies — with an equally heavy workload constituencywise — can manage quite adequately with one secretary?
I would not accept Deputy Higgins's description of Longford as a backyard or Roscommon either. I do not go down to scrape the bottom of the barrel in relation to the requirements of any Taoiseach's office or that of any Minister's office at any given time. Deputy Higgins should be man enough to acknowledge the situation that exists, that a Taoiseach has to work seven days and seven nights per week and needs a certain number of staff to assist him in his work.
I am calling Question No. 4.