Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding special advisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39744/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The process for appointing a Special Adviser to a Minister or a Minister of State is set out in The Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices. These Guidelines were revised following decisions by the Government on a number of cost saving measures relating to the personal appointees of Ministers and Ministers of State.

Under the Guidelines it is normally intended that only Ministers of the Government and any Minister of State who regularly attends Cabinet will have Special Advisers appointed to them. However, in exceptional circumstances where a specific need is identified, a Special Adviser may be appointed to a Minister of State subject to the approval of the Government.

There has been a reduction in both the overall number and cost of Special Advisers compared to the previous Government.

Under the old Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices Special Advisers were paid their existing salary plus an 'attraction allowance' of 10%, subject to the overriding maximum remuneration of the Principal (higher) scale – (currently €99,236).

Under the revised Guidelines Special Advisers are placed on the Principal Officer (standard) scale: €80,051 - €83,337 - €86,604 - €89,898 - €92,672. The Guidelines provide that appointments are to be on the first point of the scale except where the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform approves a higher starting salary. In addition there is no longer an attraction allowance of 10%.

The cost of Special Advisers under the previous administration was approximately €4.35m in October 2010. The figure under the current Government, as at December 2011, is approximately €3.4m. This means a saving in the cost of Special Advisers of approximately €900,000 as at December 2011. This estimate of savings also reflects the fact that 2 Special Advisers have recently vacated their posts.