Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the political activities of each special adviser, special press adviser, or any other type of ministerial adviser in his Department; if any of them were members of a political party; if so, which parties; if any of them are or have been elected local authority members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39388/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in his Department; the name of the Minister or Minister of State to whom he reports; the salary of each advisor now; the salary of each advisor from the time they were appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39405/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 107 and 108 together.

Since I took office I have appointed 2 Special Advisers, a Personal Assistant and a Personal Secretary in accordance with the revised conditions for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Finance on the 24th, March 2011. The Minister of State at my Department has similarly appointed a Personal Secretary and Personal Assistant. The tabular statement gives details of the Ministerial appointments made at my Department earlier this year together with details of their current salaries. They were placed on the appropriate point of the salary scale proximate to the earnings they were in receipt of in their former employment.

In relation to their political activities or affiliations, I am not in a position to give details as it is not open to me to request the appointees to provide this information. However, the Deputy should note that the restrictions which have traditionally been imposed on civil servants engaging in political activity under Paragraph 5.4 of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour do not apply to Ministerial Staff holding temporary unestablished positions and whose tenure is coterminous with that of the relevant Minister.

In accordance with the terms of the Ethics in Public Office Acts copies of the appointees' contracts of employment together with details of the Special Advisers qualifications were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 28th, October 2011.

Mr. Ruairí Quinn, T.D. Minister for Education & Skills

Mr. Ciaran Cannon, T.D., Minister of State