External appointments in the Taoiseach’s Department
Fitzgerald sought details and costs of people hired from outside the civil service. The Taoiseach said the only new appointment was adviser Fergus Finlay, confirmed the reply covered Ministers of State, and said no further appointments were planned; he referred Fitzgerald to earlier cost information and compared appointments with those of the previous Government.
asked the Taoiseach if he will give the following information in respect of each personal assistant, adviser, consultant, secretary, typist or any other category employed from outside the civil service in a temporary, part-time or permanent capacity or contractual capacity, for the period 18 December 1982 to date: name, rank, remuneration, terms of conditions of employment, if seconded, and, if so, from where.
Comment on this
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question asked by him on 26 January 1983.
The only additional appointment since then was in the Government Information Services. Mr. Fergus Finlay has been employed as a special assistant in press and information services, at a salary of £22,400 per annum. The engagement is on a contract basis for the duration of the Government. Mr. Finlay is on leave of absence from the private sector.
Comment on this
Does this cover the various Ministers of State in relation to people assigned to his Department on a part-time or full-time basis?
Comment on this
And all the Taoiseach's Ministers of State?
Comment on this
Including some who may not have taken up duty? Are there some appointments pending?
Comment on this
No. I do not understand the Deputy's question. Is he talking about Ministers of State taking up duty or other people taking up duty?
Comment on this
The Taoiseach should know that we are talking here about appointments outside the civil service and his Department is rather heavily loaded in that respect at the moment. In respect of the Taoiseach's reply are there other people who are to be appointed who have not yet taken up duty?
Comment on this
Could the Taoiseach give any indication of the total cost in a year of the appointments made by him and his Ministers of State in that Department from outside the public service?
Comment on this
The relevant information was given in a reply to a previous question to which the information given in this reply can be added. I recall on the previous occasion, when I was asked this question, pointing out the broad correspondence between the appointments we have made and the appointments made by my predecessor taking account of the fact that in some cases people appointed in the public interest have been appointed by Governments and by the previous Government in particular.
Comment on this
The Taoiseach has a poor case to defend there.