John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons employed in each of the private offices and the constituency offices of his Ministers of State; the annual amount paid in respect of salaries to each office for 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23341/11]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special advisers and programme managers in his Department; the annual amount paid in respect of salaries in regard to each such office for each of the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23356/11]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons employed in his private offices and constituency offices; the annual amount paid in respect of salaries in regard to each such office for 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011, in tabular format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23371/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187, inclusive, together.

At a Government meeting held on the 15th March, 2011, it was decided to reduce the number of staff permitted in Minister's Private Offices from 10 to 8 and Minister of State's Private Offices from 7 to 5. The number of staff permitted in Minister's Constituency Offices has been reduced from 6 to 4 and Ministers of State's Constituency Offices from 5 to 3. The staffing of these offices at my Department is in accordance with these reduced parameters.

Since I have taken office I have appointed 2 Special Advisers. It should be noted that there were 3 Special Advisers, as allowed under Department of Finance guidelines, appointed by the then Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills from March 2010 to March 2011 to allow for additional duties in respect of her role as Tánaiste. Salary costs in respect of these Advisers are set out in the following table. There are currently 4 officers in my Constituency Office and 8 officers in my Private Office. Salary details in respect of each office are set out in the following table.

There are currently 3 (2.8 fte*) officers in the Constituency Office and 5 officers in the Private Office of Minister of State Ciarán Cannon, T.D. Salary details in respect of each office are set out in the following table. There is also 1 Private Secretary appointed to Mr Seán Sherlock, T.D., and Minister of State for Research & Innovation in my Department. Their salary to date in 2011 is set out in the following table. The salaries paid to the civil servants are in accordance with the Department of Finance salary scales for the relevant grades. The salaries paid to the non-civil servant staff are in accordance with the Department of Finance Instructions relating to the Appointment of Ministerial Private Office Staff.

* Full time equivalent

MINISTER'S SPECIAL ADVISERS

MINISTER – Private and Constituency Offices

MINISTER OF STATE – Private and Constituency Offices

Private Secretary appointed to Mr Seán Sherlock, T.D., Minister of State for Research & Innovation in the Department of Education & Skills