Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy is aware, there are far fewer advisers and programme managers now than was the case previously. Both numerically and cost-wise, the numbers involved are now much lower, but I will not go into that matter. The people who remain in my Department co-ordinate the work which would have been carried out by advisers and programme managers in each Department. They deal with a number of Departments and liaise with Ministers, Ministers of State and my Department on the range of issues across each Department. A high proportion of the 40 or so advisers who work in the system are seconded from the Civil Service. Compared with the past, very few people come from outside the Civil Service. By and large, the system works efficiently.

The salaries of these people are directly linked to Civil Service grades. The posts are analysed and examined in the same way as public servants, including assistant principal officers or principal officers. They are linked to a grade and not dealt with in isolation.

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