Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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24. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of exceptions granted to the general pay caps in the public service, specifically for special advisors to Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46800/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997.

My Department issued ”Instructions to Personnel Officers on Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil” in June 2016. Under these Guidelines Special Advisers to Ministers and Ministers of State who regularly attend Cabinet are to be placed on the Principal Officer (standard) Personal Pension Contribution scale.

While appointments should normally be on the first point of the scale, Secretaries General have delegated sanction to approve any increment on the Principal standard scale where they are satisfied that this is justified. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate to be paid in all cases; these rates are published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Where it is proposed to appoint to a salary more than the maximum of the Principal standard scale, the Secretary General of a Department must decide to seek sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, having regard to the candidate’s existing pay and previous relevant experience to justify the pay rate sought. This will be subject to the sanction of the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform.

Special Advisers to Ministers of State are to be placed on the Assistant Principal Officer (standard) Personal Pension Contribution scale.

While appointments should normally be on the first point of the scale, Secretaries Generals, as with Ministerial Special Advisers, have delegated sanction to appoint to any increment on the Assistant Principal standard scale where they are satisfied that this is justified. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate to be paid in all cases

The above restrictions on salary scale do not apply to Special Advisers to the Taoiseach or Tánaiste. The individual pay rates must be advised to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and are published on its website.

Details of the salaries sanctioned for each Minister and Minister of State can be found in the attached spreadsheet. The highlighted cells are the exceptions to the Guidelines and have been sanctioned by my Department.

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