Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of people who are working in the offices of the Minister with responsibility for Children; the number who are assigned to the Minister's private office; the number to his constituency office; the numbers of advisers and political appointments to the Minister's office; the salaries and fees paid to such employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19618/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Office of the Minister for Children is an integral part of the Department of Health and Children and comprises the following:

∙The Childcare Directorate (transferred from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform), which has responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme — EOCP and the new National Childcare Investment Programme. The Childcare Directorate has an agreed complement of 21.8 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) civil servants.

∙The Child Welfare and Protection Policy Unit, which has responsibility for policy and legislative work on Child Welfare and Protection has an agreed complement of 17.1 WTE civil servants.

∙The National Children's Strategy Unit, which has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the National Children's Strategy has an agreed complement of 16.8 WTE civil servants (which includes 3 staff on secondment from the Departments of Education and Science, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Social & Family Affairs), 2 staff on Contract and 1 on Secondment. Salary costs excluding employer's PRSI and pension contributions in respect of the three sections above amount to €2,922,724 per annum.

∙The Minister's Private Office has 1 Private Secretary, 4 other civil servants, 1 Special Advisor and 2 Civilian Drivers who are attached to the Department of Health and Children. He also has 1 Private Secretary based in the Department of Education and Science. Salary costs excluding employer's PRSI and pension contributions amount to €408,038 per annum.

∙The Minister's Constituency Office has an agreed complement of 2.8 civil servants, 1 Personal Assistant and 1 Personal Secretary. Salary costs excluding employer's PRSI and pension contributions amount to €194,652 per annum.