Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

120. To ask the Taoiseach the names of the special advisers employed in his Department; the names of special advisers to junior ministers in his #Department; the annual salary of each adviser; if these persons were special advisers immediately prior to taking up their current role or immediately prior to the June 2017 Cabinet reshuffle; if so, the minister to which they were appointed to; 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; and if any persons currently employed as special advisers have not yet been appointed by order since the Cabinet reshuffle of 2017 [46475/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Details of my special advisers are as follows:

- Brian Murphy, Chief of Staff, paid at Deputy Secretary grade;

- John Carroll, Head of Policy and Programme Implementation, paid at Assistant Secretary grade;

- Nick Miller, Spokesman and Communications Adviser to the Taoiseach, paid at Assistant Secretary grade;

- Patrick Geoghegan, Special Adviser, paid at Assistant Secretary grade;

- Angela Flanagan, Special Adviser, paid at Principal Officer grade;

- Philip O’Callaghan, Special Adviser, paid at Principal Officer grade;

- Jim D’Arcy, Special Adviser, paid at Assistant Principal Office (Higher) grade.

Mark O’Doherty and Gregory Harkin are special advisers to the Government Chief Whip and both are paid at Principal Officer grade.

Prior to taking up their current roles, Brian Murphy and Nick Miller were special advisers to me in my capacity as Minister for Social Protection; Angela Flanagan was special adviser to the former Taoiseach Mr. Enda Kenny T.D; and Mark O’Doherty was special adviser to the former Government Chief Whip, Ms Regina Doherty T.D.

Brian Murphy; Nick Miller; Patrick Geoghegan; Angela Flanagan; Philip O’Callaghan; Mark O’Doherty and Greg Harkin were appointed on 14 June, 2017 as stated in the Government Order dated 26 July, 2017. John Carroll was appointed on 5 July, 2017 also by that Order.

Jim D’Arcy was appointed with effect from 4 September, 2017 as stated in the Government Order dated 3 October, 2017.

All of these Special Advisers were paid as soon as practicable after their appointment.

All staff in my Department, including special advisers, are subject to the Official Secrets Act 1963. Special advisers provide briefings and policy advice to me as Taoiseach or to the Government Chief Whip. They therefore have access to relevant material and papers as required.

There are no outstanding orders relating to the appointment of special advisers in my Department.