Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people she and her Ministers of State have appointed to work with them; the number located in their constituency offices and in their Department; the responsibility of each; the rank, salary scale and name in each case; if they are elected to city, county, town or borough councils; if they are members of State boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40426/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since my appointment as Minister for Social and Family Affairs on 7th May 2008, I have appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, a Special Adviser, Ms. Averil Power, whose salary is €97,109 per annum and a Press Officer, Ms. Geraldine Butler, whose salary is €73,610 per annum.

The duties carried out by the Special Adviser are as set out in Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997 i.e. to assist the Minister by providing advice, on a wide range of issues, by monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of Government objectives that relate to the Department and by performing such other functions as may be directed by me. The duties carried out by the Press Officer involve dealing with queries from the media in relation to the schemes operated by the Department. The Press Officer drafts and issues press releases to regional and national media on various initiatives which aim to inform the wider public of developments across the Department. The Press Officer also advises me and senior officials across the Department of developments in the media regarding the functions of the Department.

I have also appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, two non-established civil servants, a Personal Secretary, Ms. Martine Lynch, whose salary is €44,997 per annum, inclusive of a 10% attraction allowance, and a Personal Assistant, Mr. Peter O'Brien, whose salary is €55,030 per annum together with a private pension contribution of 11% of salary. The roles of my Personal Secretary and Personal Assistant are to provide administrative support and back-up in my capacity as a T.D. and in my constituency office

The staff in question, none of whom are elected members of city, county, town, borough council, or State Boards, are all based in my Department's headquarters in Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1. There has been no Minister of State formally assigned to the Department. However, Minister of State, Ms. Máire Hoctor, who is Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, has special responsibility for older people, areas of which fall within the remit of the Department. There are no staff assigned to her office from the Department.