Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

They are all civil servants. Many of the people in the private office and the constituency office are civil servants who are always seeking promotions to other areas. There is always a movement of people. I do not think there is any great change. The individual in question is a former member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I think the person held their entitlements from here. The person in question brings delegations and deputations from the gates of Government Buildings through the House, back and forward, on a daily basis. I think the person just happens to be somebody who was seconded from here. There was somebody else doing it, but it was not a member of the staff here. In the advisory staff, there is one less, or maybe even two less, over the last few years. Dr. Martin Mansergh became a Senator and there was also a change in the numbers. Most of the constituency staff are juniors. Most of them are from the former typist grades, the clerical officer grade and the staff officer grade. There are two personal assistants. I think all of the others, bar one, are civil servants.

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