Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 126: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the persons appointed by him as programme managers, advisers, assistants or back-up staff either in his Department or in constituency offices; the annualised remuneration paid to these staff; the names of individuals, groups or companies which have undertaken or have been approved to undertake full-time, part-time or casual consultancies, reviews, examinations or analyses or any public relations service on his behalf; the actual and estimated cost for 2005 in this regard; the persons, companies, consultants or otherwise he has appointed to carry out work on behalf of semi-State bodies under the aegis of his Department; the reviews, consultancies or reports which he has commissioned or is due to commission; the full costs in respect of all of these matters to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10936/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have appointed, on a contract basis for the term of my office, a press adviser, a special adviser, a personal secretary and a personal assistant. My press adviser is on a salary of €101,037 together with a private pension contribution of 11% of salary. My special adviser is currently on a salary of €88,556. The annual salary for my personal secretary is €39,532. My personal assistant is on secondment from the Department of Education and Science. That Department will recoup from the Department of Social and Family Affairs on an annual basis the cost of a replacement teacher's salary, allowances, PRSI contributions and superannuation contributions. This will be in the region of €34,400.

In my role as Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I have not sought advice from public relations firms or individuals. However, the Department of Social and Family Affairs engaged the services of a media monitoring company, Media World Limited, in 2005. This provides an electronic media monitoring service covering publications and issues of relevance to the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The cost of this service in 2005 was €8,971.18.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs engages consultants, within the terms of written contracts, to support a wide range of projects. Broadly, expertise is sought under three main headings: support with a number of strategic multi-annual programmes aimed at enhancing the delivery of the Department's services, for example, the service delivery modernisation programme, SDM; technical consultancies relating to the ongoing development of information technology systems; and consultancy assistance in other areas, including policy development, advertising and information. Details of consultants engaged in the Department of Social and Family Affairs and REACH and the associated expenditure are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy.

I have not appointed any person to carry out work on behalf of the bodies under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. This would be a matter for the relevant executive or board of the agency or office.

A complete list of all reviews and reports commissioned by the Department of Social and Family Affairs is also being compiled and I will make arrangements to have the information forwarded to the Deputy.