Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 974: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff in her private office and constituency office in 2008 broken down by grade; the salary cost including over-time, expenses and allowances and so on in each office for 2008; and the number of these staff personally appointed by her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1534/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 987: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants engaged solely in constituency work on behalf of the Ministers of State in her Department at present; and the salaries, accommodation costs and expenses involved or associated with these duties in 2008. [2070/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 988: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants engaged in constituency work on behalf of the Ministers of State in her Department at present; and the salaries, accommodation costs and expenses involved or associated with these duties in 2008. [2085/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 989: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants engaged solely in constituency work on her behalf in her Department; and the salaries, accommodation costs and expenses involved or associated with these duties. [2107/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 990: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants engaged partly in constituency work on her behalf in her Department; and the salaries, accommodation costs and expenses involved or associated with these duties. [2109/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 974, 987, 988, 989 and 990 together.

The position regarding the staffing of my Private and Constituency Offices is as outlined below:

Overtime and expenses incurred by these officers in 2008 was €4,698.79.

No overtime or expenses were incurred by these officers in 2008.

In addition I have appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, a Special Adviser, whose salary is €100,191 per annum, and a Press Officer, a civil servant, whose salary is €76,087 per annum. The total expenses incurred by these officers in 2008 was €470.37. No overtime costs were incurred by these officers who are on call on a seven day per week basis. I have also appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, a Personal Assistant, whose salary is €55,030 per annum and a Personal Secretary, whose salary is €40,907 per annum together with a 10% attraction allowance. Overtime costs incurred by these officers in 2008 were €7,653.44 and €1,290.66 respectively.

The officers in question are based in my Department's headquarters in Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1. It is difficult to attribute specific accommodation costs to these officers, as they represent only a small percentage of the total staff in that location. There has been no Minister of State formally assigned to my Department. However, Minister of State, Máire Hoctor, who is Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, has special responsibility for older people, areas of which fall under the remit of my Department. There are no staff assigned to her office from my Department.