Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government 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. [39389/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government 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 or she reports; the salary of each adviser now; the salary of each adviser from the time he or she was appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39406/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 286 together.

I have appointed two Special Advisers to my office. Both were appointed in accordance with the Instructions on Ministerial Appointments for the 31st Dáil and sanctioned by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, where appropriate. Ms. Claire Langton was appointed as a Special Adviser to my office on 10 March 2011 with a salary of €80,051. No pay increase has been awarded to Ms. Langton since her appointment. Mr. Sean McKeown was appointed Special Adviser to my office with effect from 3 October 2011 with an annual salary of €92,672. No pay increase has been awarded to Mr. McKeown since his appointment. The contracts of my Special Advisers have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Section 5.4 of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour excludes staff holding a temporary unestablished position and whose tenure is coterminous with that of the relevant Minister from the restrictions on engaging in political activity as set out in section 5 of the Code. There is no obligation on me to know if my Special Advisers are members of a political party and there is no obligation on them to tell me. The same principle applies in relation to whether any of them have been elected to local authorities.

Special Advisers appointed to my Department are required to perform any duties that may be assigned to them from time to time as appropriate to the position of Special Adviser as set out in Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. Their functions will include the provision of advice and the monitoring, facilitation and provision of assistance in securing Government objectives that relate to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Minister of State Mr. Fergus O'Dowd has no staff assigned to his office in my Department.