Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach the duties and responsibilities of the special political advisers appointed by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16800/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the responsibilities of each of the political advisers appointed by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18779/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach the non-established civil servants or contract staff appointed to his Department since the general election 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20152/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together.

Under the direction of the programme manager, the primary function of the special advisers is to monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of Government objectives and to ensure effective co-ordination in the implementation of the programme for Government.

They are also tasked with giving me advice and keeping me informed on a wide range of issues, including business, financial, economic, political, administrative and media matters and performing such other functions as may be directed by me, from time to time.

Each of the advisers liaises with several Departments and acts as a point of contact in my office for Ministers and their advisers. My advisers attend meetings of Cabinet committees and cross-departmental teams relevant to their responsibilities. They also liaise, on my behalf, with organisations and interest groups outside of Government.

The advisers assigned to the Government Chief Whip and to the Minister of State provide advice to the Ministers of State and monitor, facilitate and secure the achievements of Government objectives that relate to the Department of the Taoiseach, as requested by the Ministers of State.

My programme manager meets other ministerial advisers on a weekly basis. He monitors and reports to me on progress in implementing the programme for Government.

The following new staff have been appointed to my Department since the general election: Eoghan O'Neachtain to fill the vacancy for Government Press Secretary; John Downing as deputy Government Press Secretary; and Jill Collins to fill the vacancy for special adviser to the Chief Whip.

While the Green Party programme manager based in Government Buildings is not a member of staff of my Department, my Department has engaged a personal assistant to provide administrative assistance to him and to the deputy Government Press Secretary.

There has been no increase in the number of special advisers who assist me in dealing with the complexities and volume of Government business — in fact, there has been a decrease of two.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know, as I have been reminded during the week, that the Taoiseach is a fair-minded and simple man. I am sure he would prefer to answer questions like these than other questions.

What is the total cost to the State of the political advisers appointed by Government? As a fair-minded man has he looked at the disproportion of resources available to Opposition parties to deal with the business of democracy?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have an overall figure for the Government. The cost of my own staff is approximately €600,000. The overall cost is far less than under previous Governments when there were well over 50 or 60 advisers. While it is not a direct parallel, when former Deputy McCreevy was Minister for Finance, substantial increases were made in the resources given to parties.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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How much does Deputy Kenny get?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The programme manager system has worked reasonably well. Depending on the people involved, it can streamline business for Minsters and the Government. Does the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission have an input into considering whether parties might need extra resources? We might also discuss the structure of committees and the range they must cover if the House is to do its business effectively. Opposition parties can find themselves in need of assistance if they are to work effectively in the interest of the people.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am not opposed to that suggestion. We set up and resourced the Oireachtas commission a few years ago. The sum total of funds allocated was way over what it used to be in previous times. Every Member now has a second member of staff. The Government Whip supports the continuing expansion of research facilities which help Members to contribute to debates by facilitating them in researching matters. Most of the issues raised by the Deputy come within the scope of the Oireachtas commission. If he has particular issues, I will be glad to take them up with the Chief Whip.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I understand the Oireachtas commission has a role in the allocation of parliamentary party resources. Proposals will be brought to the commission shortly in that respect.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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On 18 October 2005, in responding to similar questions, the Taoiseach stated each of his political advisers "liaises with a number of Departments and acts as a point of contact in my office for Ministers and their advisers. My advisers attend meetings of Cabinet committees and cross-departmental teams relevant to their responsibilities". Today he indicated some of those within his Department who have roles in this regard. Which of his advisers liaises with the Department of Health and Children? Does that same party liaise with the chief executive of the Health Service Executive, Professor Brendan Drumm? How often does the Taoiseach receive briefings from his adviser on health matters? Are those briefings follow-ons to engagements with the Minister for Health and Children, her Department and the chief executive of the HSE? Is the liaison between the Taoiseach's Department and the Department of Health and Children, or the respective offices of the Taoiseach and the Minister, everything it should be? Is the Taoiseach fully conversant with the detail of the shambles of our health system in the pursuit of the delivery of health care by his Minister, her Department and the HSE? In the light of that, will the Taoiseach revisit the matter of co-ordination? What role will the Taoiseach's advisers play in helping to ensure he has a clear and full understanding of what is being done in his name, as premier Minister and that of Government, in collective responsibility with the Minister for Health and Children, in respect of health care provision in this State?

Do political advisers or, perhaps, the Minister for Transport and the Marine, Deputy Dempsey, assist or advise the Taoiseach in the preparation of scripts and various articles submitted by him for publication in what I can only describe as his now regular appearance in the Sunday Independent?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy appears in An Phoblacht every week.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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On page 3.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Cabinet committee on health meets monthly. There are weekly or even more frequent meetings at official level on health reform, ongoing negotiations and so on, depending on what issues arise. There is weekly contact between senior officials from my Department, not necessarily advisers, and officials from the Department of Health and Children and the Heath Service Executive. The officials always meet a week or two before a Cabinet committee on health. There is close liaison not alone on health but, in respect of health matters in particular. There is a close working relationship between the Department of Finance, the HSE, my Department and the Department of Health and Children in respect of health matters.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Which of the Taoiseach's advisers deals with the health portfolio?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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While one of my advisers attends the meeting, co-ordination in respect of health matters is driven by an Assistant Secretary.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am interested to hear that the Taoiseach's relationship with the Sunday Independent is now akin to Deputy Ó Caoláin's relationship with An Phoblacht.

How does the liaison between the political advisers and special advisers from his Department and other Departments work in practice? Do regular meetings take place between the Taoiseach's advisers and advisers from the line Departments and are those meetings minuted? Do they take place on a particular day of the week or, before or after the regular Government meeting? What is communicated between advisers at those meetings and how does this differ from the communication that would take place between the secretaries of Government and the Secretaries General of the various Departments?

Will the Taoiseach give a sum total of the number of special advisers now employed by his Department?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Effectively, there are three advisers employed by my Department. A fourth person acts as a co-ordinator between all Ministers of State as they do not have advisers.

Yes, is the answer to the Deputy's next question; a programme manager chairs a weekly meeting, the agenda of which usually relates to the Government's programme for that week and any other outstanding issues, perhaps, from the previous week. For issues that require more time, the key advisers, not usually the entire team but those involved in the issue, would meet a second time during the week. Meetings in regard to the Estimates and the budget take place at least weekly, but, normally, they take place twice a week and, at other times of the year, more frequently.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Has the number of assistant Government press officers increased as a result of the increase in the number of parties participating in Government?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. There is a long-standing precedent that, where a number of parties are in Government, each party has a deputy press secretary. The current position is that Fianna Fáil has appointed a press secretary and one has been appointed by the Progressive Democrats and one by the Green Party.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Do the Independents have their own press secretary?

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Not yet.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Is it part of the deal?

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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We are working on it.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Is it an open-ended deal?