Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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729. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a schedule of advisers and special advisers appointed and or recruited by her since her appointment will be provided; the roles and responsibilities attributed to each; and the salary for each appointee in tabular form. [27057/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, 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 Act 1997.

The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA 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 people to work with me as Special Advisers and those people will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved.

As the Deputy may be aware, 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 be published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.