Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of the special advisers employed in her Department; the names of special advisers to Ministers of State in her Department; the annual salary of each adviser; if these persons were special advisers immediately prior to taking up their current roles or immediately prior to the June 2017 Cabinet reshuffle; if so, the Minister to whom they were appointed; the date each special adviser was appointed with effect as stated in the Government order; the date of the Government order; if they received a salary for the period before the appointment order was signed in the case of special advisers whose appointment order date has an effect date earlier than the order date; if so, by whom they were paid; if a special adviser during a period later backdated by appointment order had access to confidential material and-or Cabinet papers; if they were subject to the Official Secrets Act 1963 during this period; if persons currently employed as special advisers have not yet been appointed by order since the Cabinet reshuffle of 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46464/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There are two Special Advisers employed by my Department. Mr. Pauric McPhillips was initially appointed on the 19th July 2016, and signed all appropriate documents including the Official Secrets Act. Mr. McPhillips remained on the Department's payroll as Special Adviser following the June 2017 reconfiguration of Departments and was officially re-appointed by Government Order made on 26 July 2017 with effect from 14 June 2017. This is in line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines. Mr. Mc Phillips is on the 2nd point of the Principal Officer salary scale. Ms. Lucy Moylan was appointed as Special Adviser on the 18th September 2017 on the first point of the Principal Officer salary scale. The Government Order appointing Ms. Moylan was made on the 19th September 2017 with effect from 18 September 2017.

Joe McHugh TD is Minister of State at my Department with responsibility for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands. He does not have Special Advisers appointed in his capacity as Minister of State.