Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments. – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil) – Tuesday, 30 Mar 1999

Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

297 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the ad hoc advisory committees and groups in relation to policy or implementation, the statutory committees, permanent groups, interdepartmental groups, advisers, consultants and unestablished civil servants appointed in his Department; and the cost or remuneration in each case paid since July 1997 to date. [8704/99]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr McDaid)

The details requested by the Deputy, in respect of groups and committees, including costs to the Vote relating specifically to their operations, are as follows:

Name of Group	Type	Cost sinceJuly 1997
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development (LURD OP) (1994 – 1999)	Set up under the OP for duration of programme	c. £5,250
Technical Assistance Steering Group for LURD OP (1994 – 1999)	same as above	c. £5,250
Sub-Programme 2 (LURD) Management Group	same as above	None
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Tourism OP (1994 – 1999)	same as above	c. £2,625
Co-ordinating Committee for Tourism OP (1994-1999)	same as above	None
Steering Committee for the External Evaluator for the Tourism OP	same as above	None
Selection Committee for Pilot Initiative for Tourism and the Environment (under Tourism OP, 1994-1999)	ad hoc/interdepartmental	c. £700
Tourism Measure Working Group of the EU Co-Funded Northern Ireland/Ireland INTERREG II Programme, 1994-1999†	Cross-Border committee composed of departmental and agency representatives set up under the programme for its duration	c. £1,400
Cross-Border Team for International Fund for Ireland Tourism Programme†	Cross-Border Committee composed of departmental and agency representatives	c. £700
Joint Co-Ordinating Committee for Shannon Erne Waterway†	Cross-Border committee composed of departmental and agency representatives	c. £1,750
Monitoring Committee for the EU Co-funded Operational Programme for URBAN – Ireland	Set up under OP for duration of programme	c. £5,250
(URBAN OP) URBAN Management Group	same as above	None
Irish Sports Council	Non-statutory	£428,332*
National Drugs Strategy Team	Non-statutory	£75,088*
Inter-departmental Group on the National Drugs Strategy	Interdepartmental	None
Reconstituted Inter-departmental Policy Committee on Local Development	Interdepartmental	£1,191
Pilot Tax Relief Scheme for Certain Resort Areas Review Group	Ad hoc Review Group	None
Regional Tourism Marketing Initiative (RTMI) Committee	Ad hoc	None
50 Metre Swimming Pool Project Team	Ad hoc to oversee tender competition	c. £50,000**
Reconvened Code of Ethics Committee	Ad hoc to review Code	£1,004
Departmental Y2K Monitoring Committee	Ad hoc	None
Young People's Facilities and Services Fund Assessment Committee	Interdepartmental	Nil***

* Includes pay and non-pay costs

** Not yet finalised

*** Expenses paid to some members from Vote of Dept of Education and Science

†Co-chaired with Northern Ireland

Consultancies entered into by my Department since July, 1997 are as follows:

Consultant	Purpose of Engagement	Costs
Mr. Bart Cronin	Press and Media Consultant in the Press Office of my Department	£35,558
Mr. Pádraig Ó hUiginn	Policy Adviser to me on matters relating to activities of my Department	£1,000
Slattery Public Relations Limited	Provision of a Public Relations and Media service to me, the Minister of State, my Department and the Irish Sports Council*	£28,117
Kitt Campbell Associates	Specialist advice to 50 metre Pool Project Team for the assessment and selection phase of the tender procedure	None paid to date but estimated cost at £50,000
Farrell Grant Sparks	External Evaluation of the Operation Programme for URBAN – Ireland	£44,996
PA Consulting Services Limited	Examination of current grant payment procedures within the Department for National Governing Bodies of Sport	None paid to date but estimated cost at £5,000
PA Consulting Services Limited**	Independent Evaluation of the Drugs Initiative focusing on assessing the effectiveness of the processes and structures associated with the delivery of the initiative	£40,728
PA Consulting Services Limited**	Facilitate and assist with the development of a strategic planning process in my Department	£24,035
Fizzical Limited**	Inspection of Waymarked Ways identified by my Department on the advice of the National Waymarked Ways Committee	£7,473
Fizzical Limited	To develop resource materials for the Sport for all Leadership Award Programme	£7,260
Jean Boydell**	Inspection of Waymarked Ways identified by my Department on the advice of the National Waymarked Ways Committee	£9,697

* A contract with Slattery Public Relations Limited was originally entered into by the previous Government. The current contract is from 2 September 1998.

** Contracts completed.

Consultancies which were ongoing, when my Department was established, are as follows:

Consultant	Purpose of Engagement	Costs
Fitzpatrick Associates	External Evaluator of the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994 – 1999	£24,425
Goodbody Economic Associates	External Evaluation of the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development	£89,782
Slattery Public Relations Limited*	Provision of a Public Relations and Communications Consultancy to the Irish Sports Council and the Sports Section of the Department	£87,443
Atlantic Sport and Management Limited*	Project Manager to Sports Strategy Group	£17,500
Mason Hayes and Curran Solicitors*	Advice on establishment of Irish Sports Council	£1,640
Sean McHale and Associates*	Drafting job descriptions for the Irish Sports Council	£2,420

*Contracts completed.

In relation to the advisers and unestablished civil servants appointed in my Department since July, 1997, the information is as follows:

Name	Position	Remuneration sinceJuly 1997	Annual salary under previous Government
–	Programme Manager	–	£45,525
Gerard Howlin	Special Adviser	£65,799	£14,675
Sinéad O'Boyle*	Personal Assistant	£21,466	£20,873
Louise Curran	Personal Assistant	£9,347	£20,873
Patricia McCarry	Personal Secretary	£34,968	£19,012
–	Special Adviser to MOS	–	£35,493
Jacqui Connolly	Personal Assistant to MOS	£33,021	£19,920
Elaine Hannon	Personal Secretary to MOS	£28,004	£16,305
Columb Rafferty**	Civilian Driver	£22,839	£13,720
Derek Ennis	Civilian Driver	£2,745	£13,720
Denis Maloney	Civilian Driver	£25,752	£13,720
John Treacy	Executive Chairman of Irish Sports Council	£84,000	£48,000
Kathy Fulcher	Senior Development Officer in Irish Sports Council	£18,123	Not applicable
Una Creagh	Development Officer in Irish Sports Council	£11,017	Not applicable
Name	Position	Remuneration sinceJuly 1997	Annual salary under previous Government
Kieran McGeeney	Development Officer in Irish Sports Council	£11,642	Not applicable
Helen Raftery	Development Officer in Irish Sports Council	£11,893	Not applicable
Shane Keane	Development Officer in Irish Sports Council	£10,515	Not applicable
Niamh Martin	Secretarial Assistant in Irish Sports Council	£6,744	Not applicable
Dermot Condron	Temporary Assistant Statistical Researcher	£31,196	£16,314
Mary Lynch	Executive Officer	***	Not applicable
Caroline Delahaunt	Executive Officer	***	Not applicable

*Resigned on 10 July 1998, replaced by Louise Curran, who took up duty on 7 September, 1998

**Resigned on 22 January 1999, replaced by Derek Ennis, who took up duty on 25 January, 1999

***Both appointed in late March 1999. Negligible costs to date.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 30 Mar 1999