Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 670: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the special advisers attached to his Department are part of the line management system of the Department. [9261/05]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 672: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the roles and functions carried out by special advisers attached to his Department; if circulars or instructions have been issued within his Department concerning special advisers; and if so, if he will provide a copy of any such circular. [9267/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 670 and 672 together.

The special advisers in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are required to perform any duties which may be assigned to them from time to time as appropriate to that position, as set out in section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. Their functions include the provision of advice and the monitoring, facilitation and provision of assistance in securing Government objectives which relate to the Department. The special advisers in the Department are not part of its line management system.

A number of circulars and instructions from Department of Finance have been circulated within the Department concerning special advisers. I will forward a copy of the guidelines on the staffing of ministerial offices, which were compiled in November 2004, to the Deputy. Four other circulars — circular 4/02, which relates to the Standards in Public Office Act 2001; letter E109/17/70 of August 2002, which deals with civil servants and politics; confidential circular 5/96, which addresses the unauthorised disclosure of information; and circular 7/99, which relates to civil servants as candidates for local authority elections — can be accessed at www.codpearsanra.gov.ie.