Written answers
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Department of An Taoiseach
Departmental Staff
11:00 am
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach the names, titles and duties of each of the advisers, press officers, assistants and secretaries appointed by him; the annual salaries in each case; the pension arrangements in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45853/10]
Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the Table.
| Name | Title | € Annual Salary | Pension Arrangements |
| Joe Lennon | Taoiseach's Programme Manager | 188,640 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Gerry Steadman | Taoiseach's Special Adviser | 132,687 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Brian Murphy | Taoiseach's Special Adviser | 132,687 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Deirdre Gillane | Taoiseach's Special Adviser | 95,550 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Peter Clinch | Taoiseach's Special Adviser | 181,243 | A pension contribution equivalent to 11% of salary is made towards a pension fund, this is in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines |
| Padraig Slyne | Special Adviser to Minister of State & Government Chief Whip | 96,295 | A pension contribution equivalent to 11% of salary is made towards a pension fund, this is in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines |
| Eoghan O'Neachtain | Government Press Secretary | 138,655 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Mark Costigan | Deputy Government Press Secretary | 103,136 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| John Downing | Deputy Government Press Secretary | 109,382 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Sineád Dooley | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant with responsibility as Office Manager | 66,519 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Peter Lenehan | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant | 50,178 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Annette McManus | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant | 48,297 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Denise Kavanagh | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant | 57,251 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Yvonne Graham | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant | 53,532 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Sarah McLoughlin | Taoiseach's Personal Assistant | 53,532 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Aoife Ní Lochlainn | Personal Assistant to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government | 47,730 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Elaine Hogan | Taoiseach's Personal Secretary | 42,446 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Colette Waters | Taoiseach's Personal Secretary | 39,223 | Scheme for established Civil Servants |
| Nicola Stapleton | Personal Assistant to the Government Chief Whip | 49,637 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Shauna Curran | Personal Secretary to the Government Chief Whip | 22,792 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees |
| Maura Stynes | Personal Secretary to the Government Chief Whip | 23,167 | Non-contributory Pension Scheme for Non-established State Employees a |
Under the direction of my Programme Manager, Joe Lennon, the primary function of my Special Advisers is to monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of Government objectives and to ensure effective coordination in the implementation of the Programme for Government.
The role and duties of Special Advisers are described in Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997. In summary, these are:-
(i) providing advice;
(ii) monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of Government objectives that relate to the Department, as requested; and
(iii) performing such other functions as may be directed.
My Programme Manager meets other Ministerial Advisers on a weekly basis. He monitors and reports to me on progress in implementing the Programme for Government. Each of my Advisers liaise with a number of Departments and act as a point of contact in my office for Ministers and their Advisers.
My Advisers attend meetings of Cabinet Committees and cross-departmental teams relevant to their responsibilities. They also liaise, on my behalf, with organisations and interest groups outside of Government.
Special Advisers are also tasked with giving me advice and keeping me informed on a wide range of issues, including business, financial, economic, political, environmental, administrative and media matters and performing such other functions as may be directed by me from time to time. In addition, a number of my advisers have specific responsibilities in relation to speech drafting.
The duties of the Government Press Secretary and the Deputy Government Press Secretaries are to liaise with the media on my behalf. Political correspondents are briefed on a daily basis by the Government Press Secretary and Deputy Government Press Secretaries. Through regular contact with Departmental Press Officers, they ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach to media matters. They also strive to ensure that relevant information and replies to press queries are communicated accurately, speedily and efficiently to the media.
The Personal Assistants and Personal Secretaries appointed by me have a range of duties and mainly provide administrative support and assistance in my Constituency Office and the Government Chief Whip's Constituency Office.
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