Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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82. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of advisers and special advisers appointed by him since becoming Minister; the starting annual salary of each person appointed by him; if an open interview process was conducted for each appointee; the duration and terms of each contract issued to each adviser and special adviser; and if an advisory role has been split to facilitate job sharing, in tabular form. [16558/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval.

It should be notedthat the appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval.  At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government. However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned John McDonald; Paul Kenny, and Margaret Ward to work with me as Special Advisers and that they will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved.