Since March 2012, no administrative support has been made available by my Department to former Taoisigh.
Under the terms of an initiative introduced by the Department of Finance in August 2001, my Department paid the salary of secretarial assistants employed by former Taoisigh, up to the maximum of the Higher Executive Officer (standard) scale. The initiative provided that a former Taoiseach may employ two secretarial assistants for a period not exceeding five years from the date when he was last Taoiseach. After the five year period had elapsed only one secretarial assistant could be employed. The initiative also included provision for purchase of computer equipment necessary for this type of service.
While there are no guidelines in relation to the type of work for which secretarial assistants were employed by former Taoisigh, I understand that they carried out a normal range of secretarial duties to support the former Taoisigh in carrying out those aspects of work associated with their former roles which remain after their period in office has ceased. However, under the initiative the secretarial assistant could not engage in constituency or active party political work.
A table provides details of the costs incurred in providing secretarial assistants to former Taoisigh who had availed of the scheme prior to its abolition.
Former Taoiseach
|
Cost of Scheme by Year
|
Mr. Charles J Haughey
|
2001 €7,806
2002 €32,475
2003 €32,475
2004 €35,538
2005 €36,984
2006 €54,609
|
Dr. Garret FitzGerald
|
2001 €2,602
2002 €32,475
2003 €32,475
2004 €35,538
2005 €36,984
2006 €38,514
2007 €41,857
2008 €44,965
2009 €38,055
2010 Nil
2011 €30,091
|
Mr. Albert Reynolds
|
2001 €6,824
2002 €21,737
2003 €35,034
2004 €42,275
2005 €52,051
2006 €14,794
2007 €19,145
2008 €49,575
2009 €44,890
2010 €45,656
2011€24,731
2012 €12,569
|
Mr. John Bruton
|
2001 €26,020
2002 €32,475
2003 €18,943
2004 €35,538
2005 €36,984
2006 €38,514
2007 €40,635
2008 €11,103
2009 €0
2010 €13,310
2011 €15,896
2012 €6,182
|
Mr. Bertie Ahern
|
2008 €74,983
2009 €114,369
2010 €106,838
2011 €70,994
2012 €41,540
|
Mr. Brian Cowen
|
2011 €32,279
2012 €22,720
|
|
My Department also provided Dr. Garrett FitzGerald with the use of computer equipment to the value of €1,913 during this period and the cost of providing computer equipment to Mr. Brian Cowen was €1,440.
The details in relation to mobile phone expenses paid for by this Department from 2005 to 2011 are set out in the table below:
Mobile Phone Expenses incurred by former Taoisigh
|
Annual amount paid in respect of mobile phones provided to former Taoisigh 2005 - 2011
|
Year
|
Charles J. Haughey
€
|
Albert Reynolds
€
|
Garret FitzGerald
€
|
John Bruton
€
|
Bertie Ahern
€
|
Brian Cowen
€
|
2005
|
916.73
|
1,164.74
|
997.83
|
1,567.33
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
2006
|
1,209.23
|
1,277.34
|
1,603.83
|
1,618.58
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
2007
|
136.19
|
1,546.36
|
1,202.83
|
1,216.03
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
2008
|
n/a
|
1,757.35
|
727.17
|
1,938.94
|
2,511.65
|
n/a
|
2009
|
n/a
|
700.97
|
616.15
|
901.11
|
3,544.54
|
n/a
|
2010
|
n/a
|
525.76
|
659.90
|
1,444.68
|
2,401.61
|
n/a
|
2011
|
n/a
|
233.71
|
195.10
|
1,560.60
|
3,201.51
|
517.01
|
For 2003 and 2004, only the total annual cost of payments in respect of all former Taoisigh is available. Total costs in 2003 and 2004 were €2,567.70 and €9,507.29 respectively. No data is available prior to 2003 and no mobile phone expenses were paid to former Taoisigh in 2012.