Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the political activities of each special adviser, special press advisers, or any other type of Ministerial adviser in his Department; if any of them were members of a political party; if so the parties to which they belonged; if any of them are or have been elected local authority members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37582/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I have appointed special advisers to my office in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 which also sets out their functions within my Department.  The terms and conditions of employment are set out in their respective employment contracts    In that context, the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour forms part of their contract and the terms of the Ethics in Public Office and Standards in Public Office legislation also apply to their appointments. 

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 such information. However, the Deputy should note that the restrictions that are 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.