Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 2

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff Statistics.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Ceist:

77 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the number and cost of staff in his general and private ministerial offices and the general and private ministerial offices of the Minister(s) of State at his Department; the number and cost of contract and part-time staff employed in such offices; the cost of all travel undertaken by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department since appointment to office outlining the destinations visited, the duration, dates and purpose of the trips; the total expenses incurred by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department; and the cost and names of consultancy services to his Department and each State body under the aegis of his Department to date in 1995. [15310/95]

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

78 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if he will give a breakdown of foreign travel that he or the Minister of State at his Department has undertaken; the total cost involved; the purpose of such trips; the number and list of passengers who travelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15138/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.

The number and annual salary of the staff, including contract and part-time staff, employed in my private and constituency offices and in those of the Ministers of State at my Department are set out in Table 1 attached.

The details requested in relation to foreign travel undertaken both by the Minister for Health and Ministers of State at the Department of Health are set out in Table 2 attached.

As is evident from the information presented all of the trips undertaken have involved attendance at important international meetings or conferences concerned with significant policy issues.

The total cost, including expenses, of travel undertaken by me and both the Ministers of State at my Department is estimated at £45,000.

The details requested in relation to consultancy services provided to my Department to date in 1995 and their estimated cost to 30 September 1995 are set out in Table 3.

The information requested in regard to consultancy services to each State body in 1995 is not readily available. My Department has requested the information from all State bodies concerned and this information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Table 1

	Numbers Employed	Annual Salary
		£000
Minister's Office:
Contract staff	4	115
Non-contract staff	11	147
Minister of State Brian O'Shea's Office:
Contract staff	5	78
Non-contract staff	7	113
Minister of State Austin Currie's Office:
Contract staff	5	91
Non-contract staff	6	95

Table 2

Travel abroad by the Minister for Health during the period December 1994 to October 1995.

21-22 December 1994
Destination:	Brussels
Purpose:	EU Health Council
Other Participants:	Secretary, Principal Officer, Private Secretary
2-5 May 1995
Destination:	Geneva
Purpose:	World Health Organisation General Assembly
Other Participants:	Special Adviser, Private Secretary
1-2 June 1995
Destination:	Luxembourg
Purpose:	EU Health Council
Other Participants:	Secretary, Assistant Princi pal, Higher Executive Officer, Programme Man ager, Private Secretary
19 June 1995
Destination:	London
Purpose:	Meeting with British Sec retary of State for Health
Other Participants:	Secretary, Private Secretary

17-25 September 1995
Destination:	South Africa
Purpose:	Discussions with Lesotho and South African Govern ments and health authorities regarding health services assistance and co-operation
Other Participants:	Secretary, Special Adviser, Private Secretary

Details regarding travel abroad undertaken by Mr. Brian O'Shea TD and Mr. Austin Currie TD, Ministers of State at the Department of Health are set out below.

Mr. Brian O'Shea, TD

21-25 Februrary 1995
Destination:	Panama
Purpose:	Attending and addressing San Jose Conference on European aid programmes for Central America (in sub stitution for An Tánaiste)
Other Participants:	Private Secretary

23 September-1 October 1995
Destination:	USA
Purpose:	To view and assess facilities in centres of excellence for the treatment of patients with Mental Disability, including Autism, and to meet with leading experts in the discipline of Health Promotion
Other Participants:	Principal Officer, Special Adviser, Private Secretary

Mr. Austin Currie, TD

26-15 April 1995
Destination:	Rome
Purpose:	Attending and addressing European Forum for Child Welfare Conference
Other Participants:	Mrs. A. Currie, Assistant Principal, Private Secretary

12-15 May 1995
Destination:	Oslo
Purpose:	Attending 5th Annual Euro pean Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
Other Participants:	Mrs. A. Currie, Principal Officer, Social Work Adviser, Private Secretary

Table 3

Company-Individual	Project	Payment
		£
ESRI	Ongoing general consultancy	140,00
Carr Communications	Communications	21,175
Mercer Ltd.	Health Insurance	48,043
Solon Consulting Group, US	Casemix	6,447
Dr. Eamon O'Shea	Cost-evaluation*	6,000
IT Network, Dublin	Ongoing Consultancy for Unix	5,000
Prose, Dublin	Financial Management System	3,000
Dr. Ian Galbraith, Optical Media Systems	GRO imaging project for Roscommon	16,482
The Support Centre, UK	Consultancy of pc's	595
Oracle Corp. Dublin	Database consultancy	5,000
dataDIRECT, Dublin	Lotus Notes	2,390
Lotus Corp. UK	On-going consultancy	650
GNC UK	Network Installation	1,056
Mr. Michael Bruton	Review Group on disability	11,797
Mr. Michael Bruton	Child Health Services Study	10,165
Prof. David Banta	MRI utilisation	2,304
Arthur Andersen	Strategic Management Initiative	47,190
Total		327,294

* Cost evaluation study of personal assistance services for people with physical disabilities.