Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 5

Written Answers. - Ministerial Staff.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

170 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current number of staff, broken down by grade, employed within the private office and the constituency office in respect of her and each Minister of State within her Department; the current amount paid in respect of each office in terms of salary, overtime and expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16840/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The staffing breakdown by grade of those currently employed within the departmental and constituency offices of the three Ministers' offices at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is outlined in Table 1 as follows.

Table 1

Office of the Tánaiste	Grade breakdown
Tánaiste's Office (Departmental)	1 Higher Executive Officer2 Executive Officers3 Clerical Officers
Tánaiste's Constituency Office	1 Personal Assistant1 Personal Secretary1 Staff Officer2 Clerical Officers
Private Ministerial Appointments	3 Special Advisers1 Personal Assistant
Clerical support to both offices and to the Special Advisers	4 Clerical Officer Typists
Office of the Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs
Departmental Office	1 Higher Executive Officer2 Clerical Officers
Constituency Office	1 Personal Assistant1 Personal Secretary2 Clerical Officers
Office of the Minister of State with responsibility for trade and commerce
Departmental Office	1 Higher Executive Officer1 Executive Officer2 Clerical Officers
Constituency Office	1 Personal Assistant1 Personal Secretary1 Clerical Officer

The Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs and the Minister of State with responsibility for trade and commerce each employs two civilian drivers, who work alternate weeks on a week on-week off basis. The current salary for a civilian driver is €25,697 per annum.

The salary costs, overtime and expenses for each of the Ministers' offices are set out in Table 2. It should be noted that the salary costs cover the period from 6 June 2002 to 19 June 2003. The salary costs are inclusive of overtime payments. The expenses refer to travel and subsistence costs and mobile phone expenses.

Table 2 – amounts in €

Office of the Tánaiste	Total Salary Cost	Overtime Payments	Expenses
Tánaiste's Office (Departmental)	194,833.85	9,171.56	10,711.31
Tánaiste's Constituency Office	117,075.98	252.25	None
Clerical Support to both offices and to the Special Advisers	91,456.05	None	None
Private Ministerial Appointments	355,863.71	None	16,172.72
Office of the Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs
Departmental Office	102,271.46	749.30	3,086.12
Constituency Office	91,316.42	None	30.00
Office of the Minister of State with responsibility for trade and commerce
Departmental Office	136,856.98	None	6,633.13
Constituency Office	95,104.96	1,380.03	3,124.18