Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Ceisteanna (377, 484)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

377. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in his Department; the name of the Minister or Minister of State to whom he or she reports; the salary of each adviser now; the salary of each adviser at the time he or she was appointed; if any salary increase was asked for; if it was granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37491/12]

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

484. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of special advisors for whom salary increases have been requested; the amount requested; the details of those granted increases and the amount by which they were increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40019/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 484 together.

Since I took office I have appointed 2 Special Advisers, a Personal Assistant and a Personal Secretary and the Minister of State at my Department also appointed a Personal Secretary and Personal Assistant. These appointments were in accordance with the revised conditions for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Finance on the 24th, March 2011. The following tabular statement gives details of the Ministerial appointments made at my Department together with details of their current salaries and their salaries when they were appointed. They were placed on the appropriate point of the salary scale proximate to the earnings they were in receipt of in their former employment.

None of the personnel mentioned in the tabular statement has sought additional remuneration and their salary payments are as agreed in their employment contracts which were drafted in accordance with the terms of the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments as mentioned above. As provided for under the terms of the Ethics in Public Office Acts copies of the appointees' contracts of employment together with details of the Special Advisers qualifications were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 28th, October 2011.

Mr. Ruairí Quinn, T.D. Minister for Education & Skills

-	-	Appointment	Sept 2012
Appointee	Position	Salary	Salary
John Walshe	Special Adviser	€92,672	€92,672
Deirdre Grant	Special Adviser	€86,604	€86,604
Ian O’Mara	Personal Assistant	€47,304	€48,520
Neil Ward	Personal Secretary	€45,160	€45,940

Mr. Ciaran Cannon, T.D. Minister of State

-	-	Appointment	Sept 2012
Appointee	Position	Salary	Salary
Martina Forde	Personal Assistant	€49,790	€49,790
Niamh Lawless	Personal Secretary	€38,945	€43,510