Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of occasions on which he has sought advice from public relations consultancy firms or individuals, media advisers or other non-established civil servants in the past three years; if such advisers are retained on a permanent or [i]per diem[/i] basis or otherwise; if such persons have had previous experience with Departments or subsidiary bodies; the rate and basis of remuneration in each case; the departmental headings from which payments were made; the extent to which payments were made under the heading miscellaneous; if reference will be made to same in the case of each Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3782/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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In my role as Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I have not sought advice from public relations consultancy firms or individuals. I have appointed a press adviser, who has previous experience in a Department, on a contract basis for my term of office. The salary for this position is €95,003 together with a private pension contribution of 10% of salary. In addition to his salary, the press adviser has been paid travel and subsistence and miscellaneous expenses in respect of the performance of his official duties. In relation to the latter, a financial system upgrade is currently under way and specific details of these payments are not readily available. I will make arrangements to have the information sought forwarded to the Deputy. There is no Minister of State attached to my Department.