I wish to inform the Deputy that the appointment of Special Advisers in the Department of Finance are made in line with “Instructions to Personnel Officers - Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil” which include “Guidelines on staffing of Ministerial offices” issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Special Advisers employed by my Department and the Minister/Minister of State since the commencement of this Government, the commencement and cessation dates in each case are set out in the following table.
Minister / Minister of State
|
Name of Special Adviser
|
Appointment date
of Special Adviser
|
Cessation date
of Special Adviser
|
Deputy Michael Noonan, former Minister for Finance
|
Mary Kenny
|
Re-appointed 10/03/2016
|
14/06/2017
|
Deputy Michael Noonan, former Minister for Finance
|
Sean Kinsella,
Civil Servant
|
Appointed 13/06/2016
|
14/06/2017
|
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform
|
Deborah Sweeney
|
Appointed 06/05/2016
|
N/A
|
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform
|
Stephen Lynam
|
Appointed 06/05/2016
|
16/03/2018
|
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform
|
Ed Brophy
|
Appointed 12/02/2018
|
N/A
|
Michael D'Arcy, Minister of State (with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance)
|
Barry Harrington, Civil Servant
|
Appointed 12/02/2018
|
29/04/2019
|
Michael D'Arcy, Minister of State (with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance)
|
Caroline Hofman
|
Appointed 04/06/2019
|
N/A
|
Special Advisers are appointed under Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. A Special Adviser to a Minister or to a Minister of State, as in the case may be, shall
(a) assist the Minister or Minister of State, as the case may be, by –
(i) providing advice,
(ii) Monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of the Government objectives that relate to the Department, as requested by the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, and
(iii) Performing such other functions as may be directed by the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be that are not otherwise provided for in this Act and do not involve the exercise of any specific powers conferred on the Minister or the Minister of State as the case may be or any other office holder by or under any other Act.
The appointments of Advisers are kept under review given the breath of my responsibilities across two Departments.