I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.
Special Advisers are appointed under the terms of Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and are required to perform any duties that may be assigned to them from time-to-time by the relevant Minister as appropriate to the position held. Those duties include providing advice as well as monitoring, facilitating and assisting in the achievement of Departmental objectives. The Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 and the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour apply to the post-holders. The restrictions under the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour on civil servants engaging in political activity do not apply to Special Advisers and they can engage in political activity or join political parties if they wish. These are not matters for which my Special Advisers are accountable to me under their contracts of employment. The following are details of the Special Advisers currently employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:
Name
|
Position held
|
Date of appointment
|
Salary on appointment and current salary
|
Minister
|
Mark Garrett
|
Chief Adviser — Office of the Tánaiste
|
10 March 2011
|
€168,000
|
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D.
|
Colm O’Reardon
|
Economic Adviser — Office of the Tánaiste
|
10 March 2011
|
€155,000
|
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D.
|
Jean O’Mahony
|
Special Adviser — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
|
10 March 2011
|
€80,051
|
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D.
|
Stephen O’Shea
|
Special Adviser —Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Department of the Taoiseach
|
28 November 2011
|
€61,966
|
Minister of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, T.D.
|