I wish to inform the Deputy that Ministerial appointments in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are made in line with the approved Guidelines on Ministerial Appointments for the 33rd Dáil. This document includes “Guidelines on staffing of Ministerial offices” issued by my Department in July 2020.
The details requested by the Deputy on Special Advisers in my Department are shown in the table below.
Special Adviser
|
Salary Scale
|
Start Date
|
Grant Sweetnam
|
Principal Officer Standard Scale PCC
€87,325 - €90,920 - €94,487 - €98,082 - €101,114
|
07 July 2020
|
Kevin Barrett
|
Principal Officer Standard Scale PCC
€87,325 - €90,920 - €94,487 - €98,082 - €101,114
|
21 September 2020
|
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.
No civil servants have been seconded to Special Adviser posts in my Department since the formation of the government.