Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

536. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the name, position and annual salary awarded to each of his special advisers; if he will provide details of any request made for an increase above the special adviser pay cap from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the amount of the increase sought. [29602/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The information requested in relation to Special Advisers I have appointed is set out in the following table.

The appointments were undertaken in accordance with the Instructions on Ministerial Appointments for the 31^stDáil and the Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices of March 2011. The Guidelines provide that Special Advisers are to be placed on the Principal Officer (standard) scale and appointments are to be on the first point of the scale except where a higher starting salary is sought and approved by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Due to Mr McKeown's previous employment, his extensive expertise in the areas of business, community and local government and with regard to his previous salary, sanction was sought to appoint him on the first long service increment point of the Principal Officer (standard) scale. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform sanctioned the maximum of the Principal Officer (standard) scale. Salaries of Advisers have been reduced in the interim in line with the Public Service Agreements.