Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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995. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the name, qualifications and current salary of each political staff member appointed by her. [46082/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As requested by the Deputy, details of the name and current salary of each political staff member is set out in tabular format below. All Ministerial staff appointments made by me have been made in accordance with Instructions for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Finance in April 2011. These instructions set specific conditions to be met in respect of such appointments including sanction of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and in addition sanction from An Taoiseach for appointments made from outside the civil service. In addition, there is a statutory requirement under the Public Service Management Act, 1997 to obtain the approval of the Government for the appointment of a Special Adviser.

The terms of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 apply to all Ministerial staff appointments, including Special Advisers. In accordance with these Acts a copy of the appointees' contracts of employment together with details of qualifications for Special Advisers whose remuneration exceeds the second long service increment salary (standard scale) of a higher executive officer in the civil service are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. In addition, the Acts provide for each individual appointee, with the exception of the grade of Civilian Driver, to make written statements of registerable interests which could materially influence the appointee in, or in relation to, the performance of official functions.

I am satisfied that all of the persons appointed by me are appropriately qualified to carry out their official functions.