Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach's Department likes its advisers. I received a written response to a parliamentary question from the Taoiseach last week with details of 18 special advisers in his Department. The Irish Independentestimated yesterday that the cost of 15 of those advisers was at least €1.5 million a year. The Taoiseach's response did not, however, list the three Government press secretaries that are also being hired. If those three are added to the 18 special advisers, the total number of special advisers across the collective offices of the three party leaders in government is 21. That is a hell of a lot of advisers. If those costs are estimated on a pro ratabasis, they come to approximately €2 million. Does the Taoiseach intend to hire any more advisers? There are 21 already. I am not even making a political point here. It is ridiculous. Is this the line? Is 21 enough? Do the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste or the leader of the Green Party intend to hire any more advisers?

Given that we are in a pandemic, I would have hoped that one of the totality of the 21 advisers would come from a public health background. I would not have any issue with that. It would have been desirable and useful and might have been helpful today. I would have thought that a good idea. Do any of the 18 special advisers listed, or the further three Government press secretaries, have any background in health whatsoever? I ask the Taoiseach to clarify that. It would be helpful if one of the 21 did, given where we are as a country. I am surprised that there is not one among the whole lot within the Government's collective cabinets, given the new profile of the Tánaiste. I might be wrong. I ask the Taoiseach to outline whether that is the case.

There are many Ministers of State wandering around the place wondering if they are going to get an adviser. I understand there is a bit of a dispute between the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste on this matter. Will there be a school of advisers or will the Ministers of State have individual ones? Those advisers have not been hired yet. The Government Chief Whip has one adviser but he is sitting at Cabinet. Will those who are sitting at Cabinet be left with just one adviser, or two, or will they be part of the school? In the response received from the Taoiseach, John Carroll is listed in the office of the Tánaiste. He has now been moved up to the role of Fine Gael general secretary. I congratulate him on that. Is there now a redundancy there as well? Those are my questions for the Taoiseach.

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