Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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909. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a schedule of advisers, special advisers and seconded civil servants currently working in her Department appointed and or recruited and or in an acting capacity; the roles and responsibilities attributed to each; and the salary scale for the role in tabular form. [20625/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management (PSMA) Act 1997.

The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PSMA Act, are currently awaiting Government approval. 

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 two Special Advisers, to work with me, a Special Adviser on policy, and a Press Adviser; said persons will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved. 

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate of salary to be paid in all cases for Special Advisers. These rates will then be published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

A breakdown of staff seconded into DRCD by grade is supplied in the table below. The staff in question operate in various roles with varying responsibilities appropriate to their grade across the structures of the Department. Staff seconded into DRCD retain their existing terms and conditions. Please see table below:

Staff Seconded to DRCD

*1 x HEO is in receipt of allowance pertaining to assignment to Private Secretary duties.

Currently the allowance is €19,653 per annum for officers on modified PRSI and €20,685 per annum for those on full PRSI.