Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of non-civil servant staff in his office and the offices of the Ministers of State at his Department; their roles and responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21652/14]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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This question is one I intend also to pose to other Departments. It seeks to determine the relationship between the Minister, his private office and his advisers and their interaction with the Civil Service. Will he outline how these interactions take place in his office and in the offices of the Ministers of State at his Department?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There are 15 non-Civil Service staff employed in my office and the offices of the Ministers of State, Deputies Michael Ring and Alan Kelly.  

In my departmental duties and responsibilities, I am aided by one special adviser, Mr. Brian Murphy, and one press adviser, Mr. Nick Miller. Furthermore, in lieu of a personal assistant, I appointed a policy adviser, Mr. John Carroll, whose terms and conditions are at the personal assistant grade.  

The Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, is aided by Mr. Jim McGrath, who advises him in regard to his departmental functions and media matters and is employed at the personal assistant grade. For the Deputy's information, the personal assistant grade is the equivalent of the parliamentary assistant grade in Leinster House. The Minister of State, Deputy Ring, is advised by Mr. Paul McGrath on departmental matters. Mr. McGrath provides his services free of charge.  

In regard to the remaining non-Civil Service members of staff in my office, there is one personal secretary who works on constituency matters. There are two members of staff, a personal secretary and a clerical equivalent, in the office of the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly. In the case of the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, he is aided in constituency matters by one personal secretary and one personal assistant. In addition, each of us has two civilian drivers. As the Deputy is aware, the practice of the last Government was to have all members of Government driven by full-time Garda drivers. This was an expensive practice that diverted gardaí away from front-line duties. We also provide our own cars.  

All of these staff are employed in line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on the staffing of the offices of Ministers and Ministers of State. By way of comparison with the above, my predecessor in this Department, Noel Dempsey, had, in November 2008, three politically appointed members of staff employed at the special adviser pay grade or similar as well as a personal assistant and a personal secretary. At the same time, there were ten civil servants employed in Mr. Dempsey's private and constituency offices, as well as five in the Minister of State's. There are eight civil servants between my private and constituency office, and four in each of the offices of my Ministers of State.

The Deputy will no doubt agree that we are doing more work than the Fianna Fáil-Green Party-Independents Government with fewer staff and other supports.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Give us a break.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Minister's clarification. However, his tone appears to indicate a belief on his part that I am somehow trying to ascertain the costs relating to the operation of his office. That is not the case. I am trying to understand the relationship between external staff and civil servants. The Minister stated that one individual advises the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, on departmental matters. The Minister also outlined the position regarding his advisers - which seems to be quite straightforward - and those of the other Minister of State, Deputy Kelly. The job descriptions to which he referred all seem normal. I just wonder why someone from outside the Civil Service is advising the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, on departmental matters. Would that not be a function of members of the permanent staff? The Minister indicated that the individual in question is not paid in respect of the work he carries out. If he is not in a position to do so now, will the Minister at some stage provide information regarding the actual role this individual plays? Is he involved in any way in advising the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, on the allocation of funding under the sports capital programme?

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I hope the staff are not out delivering leaflets.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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They are certainly not doing so, at least not during working hours. The person to whom Deputy Dooley is referring is former Deputy Paul McGrath. It is important that Ministers have advisory staff. The key difference between such staff and civil servants is that they must leave their employment when one loses one's job. They operate on a different basis to civil servants, who are always in Departments regardless of the identity of the Minister of the day and who work on longer-term contracts. One of the sad aspects of the departure of the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, was that three other people also lost their jobs on the day he lost his and they have been obliged to seek work elsewhere as a result. We often forget that side of politics. Essentially, the Minister of State does not have an adviser. However, he felt he needed some advice from someone with political experience and knowledge and that person is Mr. Paul McGrath. The latter does not receive any remuneration for the work he does. Mr. Paul McGrath does not do any work in respect of constituency matters but he does advise the Minister of State on any matters relating to sports and tourism, including the sports capital programme.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It is shocking that someone from a political background is involved in day-to-day departmental activity. I understand the need to employ external advisers to provide advice on policy or assist Ministers in understanding their role and brief. I do not believe that the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, requires much advice when it comes to politics.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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That is for sure.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Even if we accept that the Minister of State has some limited capacity in that regard and that he requires advice from an experienced individual such as former Deputy Paul McGrath, I am still struggling to understand how it is possible for the latter to be involved in the allocation of funding in respect of applications made under the sports capital programme. I need the Minister to clarify, in the clearest possible way, that Mr. Paul McGrath - whose political pedigree is obvious - has no involvement whatsoever in the decisions taken with regard to the provision of funding under the sports capital programme.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The allocations are made by the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, and signed off by me. In that context, our decisions are informed by advice provided by officials in the Department's sports division. The role occupied by Mr. Paul McGrath does not involve decision making, rather it involves providing advice on tourism and sport and all matters relating thereto. The setting of the criteria for the sports capital programme is very much a policy matter and not a party political one. Mr. Paul McGrath is not an employee of the Department and he does not receive any remuneration for the work he does. He offers advice to the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, on a pro-bonobasis. I imagine there are people, both in government and in opposition, who are advised by particular individuals on a similar basis.