Vol. 490 No. 5
247 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the advisers, programme managers or public relation officers attached to his office; whether those persons are civil servants or private sector employees; when they were employed for this work; the costs associated with these persons; and whether their work is full or part-time. [10709/98]
I appointed a special adviser, from the private sector, on a full-time basis with effect from 1 September 1997. He is paid at the maximum point of the principal officer, higher, salary scale, currently £46,663 per annum, exclusive of pension contribution.
There is no programme manager which means a cost saving to the Exchequer in respect of salary of about £46,000, quite apart from the attendant ancillary costs.
Nor is there a five person policy unit in existence in my Department, something which was present prior to my coming into office in June 1997, at a salary cost saving of about £95,000, quite apart from the attendant ancillary costs.
