Vol. 463 No. 4
9 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the name, rank, remuneration and types of employment of each personal assistant, programme manager, adviser, typist, secretary or other category employed from outside the Civil Service in a temporary, part-time or permanent capacity or on a contractual basis since the commencement of this Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6558/96]
The following schedule contains the information sought by the Deputy:
SCHEDULE
Name, title and annual salary cost of staff employed on a contract basis in the Department of the Taoiseach as of March 1996.
|
Name |
Role |
Annual Salary |
|
£ |
||
|
Office of the Taoiseach |
||
|
Mr. Sean Donlon |
Special Adviser/Programme Manager |
79,494 |
|
Mr. Gerry Boyle |
Economic Policy Adviser |
46,752 |
|
Mr. Roy Dooney |
Special Adviser |
42,759 |
|
Ms Dee Johnstone |
Personal Assistant |
23,970 |
|
Ms Deirdre Concannon |
Personal Secretary |
17,138 |
|
Ms Ruth Cashill |
Personal Secretary |
13,874 |
|
Mr. Kevin Gilna |
Personal Assistant |
20,827 |
|
Office of the Chief Whip |
||
|
Mr. Paddy O'Toole |
Special Adviser (¹) |
43,752 |
|
Ms Margaret Brady |
Personal Assistant |
18,772 |
|
Ms Bríd Coen |
Personal Secretary |
11,314 |
|
Office of the Minister of State for Local Development and European Affairs |
||
|
Mr. Chris Macey |
Special Adviser |
25,500 |
|
Mr. Brian Murphy |
Personal Assistant |
26,500 |
|
Ms Mairead Harnett |
Personal Secretary |
15,077 |
|
Mr. Sean Lynch |
Civilian Driver |
13,185 |
|
Mr. John Stanton |
Civilian Driver |
13,185 |
|
Mr. Jim Kirby |
Part-time researcher (²) |
|
|
Office of the Minister of State for Western Development and Rural Renewal |
||
|
Mr. J. O'Callaghan |
Special Adviser |
33,185 |
|
Ms Bernadette Dillon |
Personal Secretary |
15,049 |
|
Mr. Terry Wilson |
Civilian Driver |
13,185 |
|
Mr. Frank Cullinan |
Civilian Driver |
13,185 |
|
Government Press Office |
||
|
Mr. Shane Kenny |
Government Press Secretary |
51,143 |
|
Mr. John Foley |
Deputy Government Press Secretary |
46,048 |
|
Mr. Tony Heffernan |
Assistant Government Press Secretary |
32,640 |
|
Ms Marie McHale |
Personal Assistant to Mr. Foley |
23,194 |
|
Ms L. Glendenning |
Personal Secretary to Mr. Heffernan |
11,413 |
|
Economic and Social Policy Division |
||
|
Ms Sara Cantillon |
Economist |
36,110 |
(¹) For the duration of his appointment, Mr. O'Toole has gifted the Ministerial and TDs pensions of which he was in receipt to the State.
(²) Engaged on a consultancy basis at a per diem rate of £94.
Is it not fundamentally inconsistent that the Civil Service should be subject to a strict embargo while all other appointments of programme managers and advisers are not subject to an embargo and can be filled at any time?
The numbers have been maintained and not increased since the restriction on recruitment was introduced, to the best of my knowledge. There may be one or two exceptions but I am not aware of any off hand.
Will the Taoiseach agree that the cost of these personnel relative to previous years has risen considerably this year, in some ministries there has been an increase of up to 50 per cent in a 12 months period? That has been documented in parliamentary replies to questions by Opposition Members.
So far as temporary civil servants working in my office are concerned, I am employing fewer in that category than my predecessor. I have seven people in that category. My predecessor in 1992 had ten people: a special adviser, a special constituency adviser, a special communications adviser, an adviser on the environment, an arts adviser, a special economic development officer, a personal assistant, a personal constituency assistant, a personal secretary and a personal secretary to the special adviser. There were ten people then but I now have seven. In 1993, under another previous Taoiseach, also a friend of the Deputy, there were eight people in the offices as against my seven: a special adviser; a special adviser on the constituency; an adviser on the environment; a special economic development officer; a personal assistant; and three personal secretaries. In addition he had the services of Carr Communications at the cost of £35,000. I have no communications advice of this kind.
That is obvious.
He also used an organisation named — aptly, in view of what happened — Nemesis, at a cost of £52,794. The employment levels in my office were greater under both predecessors than under me.
With respect——
The Deputy should stop digging.
The Taoiseach has dozens of staff, costing millions
——the question refers to the Government, not just the Taoiseach's offices. He refused to answer the question generally, he said he was attaching a schedule and then went into detail on previous holders of his office. The key point here is the inconsistency in treatment of public servants and non-public servants working with the Government.
This is Question Time, Deputy.
There is no inconsistency.
This is a kamikaze question.
How many Ministers of State are attached to the Department of the Taoiseach and how does it compare to previous people in his position? If the costs of the entourage of staff of the Ministers of State were added, would the figures be different?
The appointment of two additional Ministers of State to the number which previously obtained was approved by this House——
It was opposed by this side.
——and it has proven to be justifiable.
They all have an entourage.
The work done by the Minister of State. Deputy Carey, who is performing new functions in western, Border and island development, is justifiable and was not adequately addressed under a previous Government. Equally, the functions performed by the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, in developing a consumer focus for State companies and the public service generally were not being done adequately and did not have sufficient political direction under previous arrangements, they are also justifiable. Whatever costs and staff are required in enabling them to do their job is justifiable and good value for money.
Since the Taoiseach wishes to make comparisons, could he give figures for the total salary costs of all the people associated with him and his Ministers of State in the Department of the Taoiseach: and compare the salary of his programme manager and previous programme managers?
Obviously if there are more Ministers of State in my Department than there were previously, more support staff will be required for them. The salary of my programme manager is already public knowledge and has been debated here several times. It indicates a certain paucity of forensic ability on the part of the Opposition that they must return to arguments they were having in this House a year and a half ago.
It is the kind of argument the Taoiseach raised in Cork some time ago.
I will take it in writing.
The salary of my programme manager is a matter of public record which has been much debated. He is good value for money——
He cost twice as much as his predecessor.
——and perhaps Deputy Dempsey should do more research and find something worth while to raise.
The Opposition should withdraw those questions.
The answers will look good when we read them.
Is it the Taoiseach's intention to appoint more outside people to his office for the EU Presidency?
No, I am not aware of plans to employ anyone else at this stage.
He is open to representation.
I will let the Deputy know.
They are probably there already.
We can handle these matters well.
The Government can hide them well.
When the Government appointed judges yesterday under the new legislation, there was no shortage of Blueshirts.
Card-carrying ones.
The Taoiseach said he was not aware that anyone would be appointed. Surely it would be a matter for him — if he does not need anyone, presumably no one will be appointed to the office?
I have not considered the matter in any detail and I do not know whether we will take on anyone extra but I will check and get back to the Deputy. I am not aware of any plan to recruit anyone at this time but I am not saying it is ruled out.
Will the Taoiseach come back to me with the salary comparison?
We will certainly ensure all the Ministers of State are fully occupied during the period.
They are all behind him.
They are fully occupied in Dublin West and Donegal NorthEast.
I do not think Deputy Burke will be let loose in Dublin West.
One might be surprised.
He would only lose them votes, in view of his past efforts at forestry in the constituency. His attempts to afforest Dublin West left almost as many trees as votes.
The Taoiseach had a glorious visit to Blanchardstown the other day. He stayed for one camera but he ran in case he met the public.
The Deputy cannot see the wood for the trees.
