Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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801. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons employed by his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department with a rate of pay below the living wage of €12.30; the role that those persons occupy within his Department or relevant body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19624/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department employs civil servants and also, civilian employees attached to military installations.  Thirty two civil servants and 20 civilian staff, all on an incremental pay scale, are currently employed in my Department on a salary below that specified by the Deputy.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has overall responsibility for public service pay policy throughout the public sector and the rates applied in my Department are in line with those agreed centrally and with those being paid to equivalent grades in other Government Departments.

The Army Pensions Board, which is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927, is the only body under the aegis of my Department and its secretariat is provided from within my Department's staff and paid according to their civil service grade. 

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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802. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the salaries and expenses paid to advisers, Ministers and-or Ministers of State in his Department in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [19742/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since my appointment as Minister for Defence in June 2020, I have appointed two special advisers.  Both are appointed as advisers to me as Minister for Defence and also as Minister for Foreign Affairs.  They are employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs and as such, their salary and expenses are administered by that Department, as is my own salary. 

No expenses have been paid to me from the Department of Defence Vote to date, but a small number of claims relating to expenses incurred as Minister for Defence are currently being processed.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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803. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline all of the secondment arrangements within his Department; the conditions related to such secondments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19864/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is currently a total of fourteen secondment arrangements within my Department.

Five staff are currently seconded out of my Department. The salary for the majority of secondees out is paid directly by the new employer. In any case where that is not the situation, the new employer is invoiced and the cost recouped.

Nine staff are currently temporarily seconded into my Department. In the main, these secondees are paid directly by my Department.  Again, where this is not the situation, my Department is invoiced and the cost is recouped.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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804. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit facilitate internships by students engaged in full-time or part-time further and higher education courses; if so, the number of interns his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit accept annually; if any or all of these interns receive remuneration of any kind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20002/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is not currently facilitating internships for students engaged in full or part-time further and higher education courses.  The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board and the only staff post is the secretary to the Board, which is provided from the staff of the Department.  

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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805. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons currently employed in his Department who have been seconded in from the public sector; the number of departmental officials seconded where the moneys are recouped from the body the person is seconded to or where the Department pays for the person with no recoupment from the other organisation, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20057/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is one person currently employed in my Department who has been seconded in from the public sector. The monies for the person's salary are recouped by the public sector organisation concerned on a quarterly basis.

There are currently no staff seconded out of my Department to the public sector.