Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [39383/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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 adviser now; the salary of each adviser from the time they were appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39400/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 360 together.

In response to the Deputy's question, Áine Kilroy was appointed as my Special Advisor on 18/4/2011 and was placed on the first point of the salary scale appropriate for the position i.e. €80,051. Her salary has not changed since she was appointed. Ms Kilroy provides general policy advice to me on a range of areas including implementation of the Programme for Government.

Fergal Leamy was employed as my special adviser from 11/4/2011 up to his date of resignation on 9/9/2011. Mr Leamy was on an annual salary of €130,000 and his position remains vacant.

The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour excludes staff holding temporary unestablished positions 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 Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour.

In line with Government policy, the staffing complement of my office and that of the Minister of State has been reduced. In that context, I have assigned additional responsibilities to those within my allocated complement of staff where necessary and appropriate.