Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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527. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of staff assigned in her Department to the press office, public relations or communications roles in each year since 2015; the positions by staffing grade and designated role; when each new position came into existence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11697/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department does not have a designated Press Officer or stand-alone Press Office.

One of my appointed Special Advisors, Mr Jerry O'Connor, has special responsibility for communications. He is remunerated at a point on the Principal Officer scale. Mr O'Connor took up the role after my appointment in mid 2016.

Prior to that, a Special Advisor to my predecessor Dr James Reilly, Mr Mark Costigan, held a similar role.

There are currently two civil servants in my Department who typically service the day-to-day press office requirements of my Department's Communications and Corporate Governance Unit. One of these is an Executive Officer who has worked in the role since 2014.

A clerical officer was assigned to assist in the role in April 2017.