Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The advisers are governed by the Public Services Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004. They are governed by ethics legislation from 1995 and 2004 and they also have written contracts. Difficulties occurred some years ago and procedure was tightened as a result. Advisers in other Departments are also governed by these measures. Each year these people must fill in a full range of forms declaring any interests and send them to the ethics commission. They do not tend to go to meetings in other Departments when meetings are held in Government buildings, but they meet on a weekly basis with the advisers from other Departments. None of those mentioned is involved with the independents. An official from the Whip's office meets them from time to time, but that was more relevant to the last Government.

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