Section 11(1) of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, makes provision for the appointment of special advisers to my office. As provided for in section 11(3) of the Public Service Management Act, the terms and conditions of these appointments are subject to determination by the Minister for Finance. The appointments are subject to the Civil Service Regulations Acts, 1956 to 1996, and any other Act for the time being in force relating to the Civil Service.
Under the requirements of section 19 of the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, I am obliged to lay details concerning my political appointees before the House on an annual basis. Deputies will therefore be aware of the arrangements that apply in my office. There are, inevitably, changes in personnel and structure from time to time.
In regard to the appointments I have made of advisers and civil servants attached to my private office and the Government Information Service, the following are the details of these staff who assist me in dealing with the complexities and volume of Government business: Gerry Hickey – programme manager and special adviser; Martin Mansergh – special adviser on Northern Ireland, economic and social affairs; Gerard Howlin – special adviser; Una Claffey – political adviser. Peter MacDonagh, who works in my Department, is the social policy adviser to the Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion. He also works with the Ministers for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Health and Children and the relevant Ministers of State.
Katherine Bulbulia is programme manager and special adviser to the Tánaiste but is based in my office. John Murray, deputy Government press secretary and head of the Government Information Services has recently tendered his resignation for personal reasons. Elizabeth Cogan is assistant to John Murray.
The civil servants in my private office are Barbara Jones, who is involved in script writing and other duties, Olive Melvin, personal secretary, my private secretary – assistant principal, two assistant private secretaries – administrative officer and higher executive officer grades – and nine clerical officers. They provide the necessary support services to me in respect of my Dáil and Government responsibilities as well as maintaining my diary, processing correspondence and the general clerical services associated with a private office.
The Government press secretary is Joe Lennon, a civil servant on secondment from the Department of Finance. There are currently five civil servants in the Government press service and a further six in the communications unit. The Government press service provides the necessary support services to the Government press secretary and the deputy Government press secretary in respect of their role in providing an effective and co-ordinated media service. The communications unit provides a comprehensive information service to Government Ministers and their Departments on Government policy initiatives and developments, and alerts them to any problems which may arise in relation to their implementation. In this way Departments are able to provide a better service to the public.