Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1327: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff broken down by grade, the number of such staff who are full time civil servants, the number of such staff who are political appointees, the cost for 2007 of each such office in terms of salary, overtime and expenses and the projected cost for 2008 of each such office in terms of salary, overtime and expenses in respect of the private and the constituency office of her and each Minister of State within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30632/08]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1349: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil service staff dealing with constituency matters in her office; the number of civil service staff dealing with constituency matters in the offices of Junior Ministers within her Department; and the cost in salaries for these staff per annum. [31134/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1327 and 1349 together.

There are currently 8 staff in the Ministers office and 5 staff in the constituency office, as detailed below. Only 2 of these, my Policy Adviser and Personal Assistant, are non-civil servants. There are no staff assigned to a Minister of State in my Department. In total, including the Press Officer mentioned below, there are 14 staff between both offices.

I have also appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, a civil servant, Ms Geraldine Butler, as a Press Officer. She is currently on a salary of €73,610. This officer is on call on a seven day per week basis and is not entitled to overtime. The total amount claimed by her in expenses to date is €110.69.

The Deputies may be interested to know that, as detailed below, there were near ly three times as many Ministerial staff in this Department in 1996. At that time, there were 17 staff in the Minister De Rossa's office, 3 of whom were non-civil servants. Minister De Rossa also had a policy unit with 6 staff, 5 of whom were non-civil servants. No such unit has been put in place by any Minister since 1997. The Department also had a Minister of State in 1996, Bernard Durkan TD, who had 13 staff. The total staffing, therefore, was 36 in 1996, compared with 14 now. The total number of non-civil servants was 12 at that time, compared with 2 at present.

The details of the current staffing, that in 1996 and that in 2007 are below.

Minister's Office

Civil Servants

1 Press Officer on a salary of €73,610

1 Private Secretary on the Higher Executive Officer pay scale (€46,558 to €59,097), with a private secretary allowance of €20,182 per annum.

1 Executive Officer on a pay scale of €30,566 to €48,504

Three Clerical Officers on a pay scale of €22,609 to €36,667

Two Clerical officers on a pay scale of €23,801 to €38,593 (these staff pay a class A PRSI contribution).

The total cost of overtime and expenses incurred to date in 2008 for these officers is €995.40 and €199.20 respectively.

Non-civil servants

1 Policy Adviser, Averil Power, paid on the Principal Officer scale, with a current salary of €97,109 per annum. This officer is on call on a seven day per week basis and is not entitled to overtime. No expenses have been incurred by this person to date.

Constituency Office

Civil servants

1 Executive Officer on a pay scale of €32,179 to €51,0541

Clerical Officer on a pay scale of €22,609 to €36,6672

Clerical officers on a pay scale of €23,801 to €38,593 (these staff pay a class A PRSI contribution)

Non-civil servants

1 Personal Assistant, Mr. Peter O'Brien, currently being paid €55,030 per annum. To date in 2008, no overtime or expenses have been paid to the staff in my constituency office. However, it is estimated that overtime costs in the region of €7,500 will arise during 2008.

1996 STAFFING Minister's Office (including constituency office)

Civil Servants

1 Programme Manager

1 Private Secretary

3 Executive Officers

7 Clerical Officers

2 Clerical Assistants/ Typists

Non Civil Servants

1 Special Adviser

1 Personal Assistant

1 Personal Secretary

Policy Unit

Civil Servants

1 Principal Officer level

Non Civil Servants

1 Senior Research Assistant

1 Research Assistant

2 Research Assistants (Part-time)

1 Administrative Assistant

Minister of State's Office

Civil Servants

1 Private Secretary

2 Staff Officers

3 Clerical Officers

3 Clerical Assistants/ Typists

Non Civil Servants

1 Personal Secretary

1 Personal Assistant

2 Civilian Drivers

2007 STAFFING

Minister's Office

Civil Servants

1 Private Secretary on the Higher Executive Officer pay scale (€46,646 to €59,213), with a private secretary allowance of €19,690 per annum. 1 Executive Officer on a pay scale of €29,093 to €46,167

One Clerical Officer on a higher scale of €23,086 €36,546 (salary adjusted to take account of work-sharing)

Three Clerical Officers on a pay scale of €22,057 to €35,772

Two Clerical officers on a pay scale of €23,221 to €37,651

Constituency Office

Civil Servants

1 Executive Officer on a pay scale of €30,628 to €48,594

1 Clerical Officer on a pay scale of €23,221 to €37,651

Non Civil Servants

1 Personal Assistant on a pay scale of €44,646 to €59,213

1 Constituency Assistant on a pay scale of €44,646 to €59,213

In addition to these staff, Minister Cullen also had a press adviser in 2007, who was paid on a pay scale of €82,016 to €95,363.

Overtime payments in 2007 amounted to €19,500.22

No expenses were paid to any of these staff in 2007.