Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the political activities of each special adviser, special press adviser, or any other type of ministerial adviser in her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [39385/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in her Department; the name of the Minister or Minister of State to whom she reports; the salary of each adviser now; the salary of each advisor from the time they were appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39402/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 413 together.

The Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 sets specific responsibilities on office holders in relation to the employment of special advisers. Generally speaking, any special adviser who is appointed pursuant to the Public Service Management Act 1997 will be required, not later than 31 January each year, to provide a statement of interests to the employing office holder and the Standards in Public Office Commission. The office holder is then required to lay a copy of that statement before each House of the Oireachtas.

Additionally, where a special adviser has a material interest in a function falling to be performed, he or she will provide the employing office holder, and the Standards Commission, with a statement of the facts of the interest. An office holder will also, in the case of a special adviser, lay, before each House, a statement of the qualifications of the person which are relevant to the position.

In addition, an office holder is required to lay two other documents before the Houses, (1) a copy of the contract of service and (2) a statement as to whether the person is a relative of the office holder. There is no requirement under the Ethics in Public Office Acts for a declaration from special advisors of current or previous membership or association with a political party. I can confirm that I have laid the appropriate documentation before the Houses and, as such, they are a matter of public record.