Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

1733 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid since July 1997 to date in 2002 in fees, salary, allowances including delegates' allowances, expenses and other payments to any person in or under the aegis of her Department who is or was a special adviser within the meaning of the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995; the name of the person in each case; the amount paid to each person; the breakdown as between salary, allowances, expenses and other payments; the date on which each person was appointed; if, in the case of persons no longer holding such position, the date on which the appointment ceased [17275/02]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

My predecessor, Deputy Dermot Ahern, appointed one special adviser, Mr. Mel Cousins, who was employed on a contract basis with effect from 1 September 1997 for the Minister's term. When I took up office I retained his services.

A yearly breakdown of his salary is as follows:

Period covered	Salary	PensionContribution
1/9/97-31/3/98	€33,642.43	Nil
1/4/98-31/3/99	€59,317.53	€10,247.85
1/4/99-31/3/00	€60,314.81	€ 6,517.41
1/4/00-31/3/01	€66,139.32	€ 6,517.41
1/4/01-31/12/01	€51,984.37	€ 5,431.18
1/1/02-to date	€57,527.77	€ 7,783.40

In addition to the above, Mr. Cousins has also been paid €5,709.83 in travel and subsistence expenses and €69.20 in other payments.

I have also appointed a press adviser, Mr. Tom Reddy. Since commencing employment with this Department on 31 July he has been paid €10,964.94 and €210 in travel and subsistence expenses.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

1734 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid since July 1997 to date in 2002 in fees, salary, allowances including delegates' allowances, expenses and other payments to any person including a body corporate or a body of persons in or under the aegis of her Department who is or was a consultant or was a person performing functions normally performed or capable of being performed by permanent civil servants or special advisers, but who was neither a permanent civil servant nor a special adviser within the meaning of the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995; the name of the person in each case; the amount paid to each person; the breakdown as between salary, allowances, expenses or other payments; the date on which each person was appointed; if, in the case of persons no longer holding such position, the date on which the appointment ceased [17290/02]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

To date no amount has been paid by my Department in salary and allowances to any person referred to in the Deputy's question.

With regard to fees paid to consultants, the detailed information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

1735 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid in legal fees by her Department in 1999 to 2001, inclusive, and to date; the person to whom payment was made; and the amount of payment in each case. [17305/02]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

The detailed information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled. This process is near completion and a letter enclosing the information will issue to him shortly.

Question No. 1736 answered with Question No. 1679.