Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the names, titles and annual salaries of each of the political advisers, press officers, assistants or other political appointees who were employed by her Department on 1 November 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28150/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the names, titles and annual salaries of each of the political advisers, press officers, assistants or other staff appointed by her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28165/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 344 together.

Staff have been appointed to the Office of the Minister for Education and Science in the following posts:

1Special Advisor (Principal Officer Scale) — Ms. Averil Power — current salary €92,429

1Personal Assistant (Higher Executive Officer Scale) — Mr. Carl Gibney — current salary €52,379

1Personal Secretary (Secretarial Assistant Scale) — Ms. Paula Power — current salary €26,799

1Press Officer. (Assistant Principal Officer Scale) — Ms. Geraldine Butler — current salary €67,704. Ms. Butler is a Civil Servant.

The combined annual salaries of these staff amount to €239,311.

On 1st November 2002 the following political appointees were employed in my Department in respect of a Minister and Minister of State:

1Special Advisor (Principal Officer Scale) — Mr. James Fegan — salary €73,277.36

2Personal Assistants (Higher Executive Officer Scale) — Ms. Margaret Conway, Ms. Mary McNamara — salaries €38,896 each

2Personal Secretaries (Secretarial Assistant Scale) — Ms. Una Grehan, Ms. Mairead Collins — salaries €29,317.33 and €32,249.06 respectively

1Press Officer (Higher Executive Officer Scale) — Ms. Grace Cappock — salary €37,248

The combined annual salaries of these staff at 1st November 2002 amounted to €249,883.75.

The Deputy should note that the number of non-civil servant political appointees on my staff is three, compared to five political appointees on the staff of the Minister for Education 1994 — 97. The Minister of State based in my Department from 1995 — 97 also had their own special adviser.