Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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361. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide the name, position and annual salary awarded to his special advisers; if he will provide details for requests, if any, for an increase above the special advisers'# pay cap as set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20562/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I have appointed two Special Advisers, Brian Murphy and Nick Miller.

Mr Miller’s salary is €87,258. Mr Murphy previously worked in the private sector as the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association’s Director of Commercial Affairs. Given his experience, and the substantial cut in remuneration he accepted in order to work as an Adviser, in 2011 I requested that Mr Murphy’s salary to be higher than that of the standard Principal Officer scale. This was sanctioned at the time by Minister Howlin and his salary in the Department of Health was €99,370. I have requested sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to the continuation of this salary in his role in the Department of Social Protection at this level. I am not requesting an increase for either of my Special Advisers.