Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 611: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the roles and functions carried out by special advisers attached to her Department; if circulars or instructions have been issued within her Department concerning special advisers; if so, if she will provide a copy of any such circular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9305/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 612: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the special advisers attached to her Department are part of the line management system of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9306/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together.

On my appointment as Minister, I appointed a special adviser to my Department. I also assigned a principal officer from within my Department to act as policy co-ordinator. The duties of the special adviser are set out in the contract of employment for special advisors drawn up by the Department of Finance, which are "to perform any duties that may be assigned ... from time to time as appropriate to the position of Special Adviser as set out in Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997. These include providing advice to the Minister and monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of Government objectives that relate to the Department of Education and Science, as requested by the Minister".

The duties of the policy co-ordinator are similar to those of the special adviser. No formal departmental circular relates to special advisers. The principal role of the special adviser and the policy co-ordinator is to provide advice for me. The normal practice is that they are copied with relevant submissions and material by departmental officials to facilitate this role and they participate in relevant meetings and discussions with officials. Each carries out this advisory function in regard to different areas of the Department. Relevant officials in my Department were informed by e-mail of the areas dealt with by each adviser. A copy of the e-mail will be sent to the Deputy separately for her information. Neither the special adviser nor the policy co-ordinator is part of the line management system of my Department. While they have a role in providing advice for me and discussing issues on my behalf with officials, final approval is my responsibility.