Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 4

Written Answers. - Ministerial Resources.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

239 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the resources available to him and the Minister(s) of State at his Department for the running of ministerial offices and constituency offices in terms of support services, finance and personnel, established and non-established, programme managers and special advisers; if he will give a breakdown in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19132/96]

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

246 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of salaries and incidental expenses of all programme managers, special advisors and other non-established contract staff in his Department for each of the years from 1994 to date in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19167/96]

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

248 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the costs involved in setting up a research unit to assist him as party leader; the cost of the salaries of those employed in the unit and the secretarial assistance provided, together with other back-up facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19239/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 239, 246 and 248 together.

The information sought by the Deputies about the staff employed in my own office and in the office of the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Bernard Durkan, is contained in my replies to Question No. 124 on 14 December 1995, Questions Nos. 215 and 216 on 6 February 1996 and Question No. 316 on 26 March 1996. The support services, such as finance and personnel, for my office and the office of the Minister of State are provided from within the existing resources of the central support units of the Department.

While the Department employs other unestablished staff such as services officers, cleaners, etc., it is assumed for the purposes of this reply that the information sought is in relation to the temporary unestablished civil servants employed in my office and in that of the Minister of State. The costs of the temporary unestablished staff employed in the office of the Minister are set out in my reply to Question No. 117 on 6 March 1996. It should be noted that this reply refers to costs for each year from 1992 onwards. The total cost, from 1 January 1996 to 30 September 1996, of temporary unestablished staff attached to my office is £65,050.

The costs of unestablished staff employed in the office of the Minister of State at this Department for each of the years from 1994 to date are set out in the table below.

In relation to the research unit, the total expenditure on staffing since it was set up in late 1995 to 30 September 1996 was £78,567.

The estimated expenditure on salaries and other associated costs of those employed in the unit for the full year 1996 is contained in my reply to Question No. 124 on 29 May 1996. The staff of the research unit includes an administrative assistant whose functions includes the provision of secretarial support to the other staff of the unit.

The initial costs of setting up this research unit, including accommodation, standard office furniture and equipment was £18,840.

Cost of Unestablished Staff to the Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare

Year	Number	Grade/title	Cost
1994	2	Part-time Special Advisers
1/1/1994	1	Personal Secretary
17/11/1994	1	Personal Assistant
	2	Civilian Drivers
Total	£88,350

Year	Number	Grade/title	Cost
1995	1	Personal Assistant (commenced 1/6/1995)
	1	Personal Secretary
	2	Civilian Drivers (one driver only from 3/7/1995 to 18/10/1995)
Total	£45,992

Year	Number	Grade/title	Cost
To date in 1996	1	Personal Assistant
	1	Personal Secretary
	2	Civilian Drivers
Total	£52,146