Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 9: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of constituency and parliamentary staff appointed to Ministers whose salary exceeds their grade ceiling, in tabular form; and if he signed off on these salaries. [35182/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Guidelines on Staffing in Ministerial Offices were revised following decisions by the Government on a number of cost-saving measures relating to the personal appointees of Ministers and Ministers of State. The guidelines specify that all appointments of ministerial staff, including the pay and terms and conditions of employment, require the prior sanction of my Department. Appointments from outside the Civil Service also require the sanction of the Taoiseach. The guidelines set out limits for the number of staff that can be appointed to private and constituency offices. They also provide that separate arrangements may apply to the staffing requirements of the offices of the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

In light of the current economic circumstances, the Government decided on 15 March to reduce the staffing levels in Ministers' private and constituency offices. Under the new limits, each Minister may have a maximum of eight staff in his or her private office, reduced from ten, and four staff in his or her constituency office, down from six. Each Minister of State may have a maximum of five staff in his or her private office, down from seven, and three staff in his or her constituency office, reduced from five. Each Minister of State who is assigned to more than one Department may have a total of seven staff in his or her private office, down from nine.

This marks a considerable reduction from the levels of staffing permitted under the previous Government, with the overall reduction in staff assigned to Ministers' private and constituency offices being in the order of 25%. Within these staffing limits aMinister or Minister of State may appoint one personal secretary and one personal assistant. The personal secretary or personal assistant may be assigned to the Minister's private office or constituency office at the discretion of the Minister.

There has been one case in which I have sanctioned the appointment of a staff member, to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, at a rate above that set out in the guidelines. This was done on an exceptional basis so that the individual did not suffer a loss of pay. In a small number of cases I have allowed people to start on a higher point within the appropriate salary scale for personal secretary and personal assistant. I have already provided the Deputy with full details regarding the appointment of special advisers in answers to recent parliamentary questions.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. He indicated that in "a small number of cases" he has sanctioned appointments at above the appropriate point on the pay scale. Can he provide specific figures in this regard and indicate in respect of which Ministries these sanctions were granted?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I answered that question in a previous parliamentary question, which I will send to the Deputy.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is fine.