Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1172: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form, the names and salaries of all her special advisors including special advisors of Ministers of State and any salary increases they have received since they took office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18633/12]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1174: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form, details of all salary increases for special advisors requested by her or any Ministers of State in her Department; the names of the advisors and the amount requested and a list of salary increases granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18650/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1172 and 1174 together.

As requested by the Deputy, details of the names and salaries for Special Advisers in my Department are set out in tabular form. In accordance with Department of Finance instructions on Ministerial appointments, my Advisers were placed on the first point of the Principal Officer standard scale on appointment. There have been no salary increases granted since their appointment.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1173: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether it is appropriate to employ a local councillor as a special advisor; if she will outline their qualifications for the role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18646/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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All Ministerial staff appointments made by me have been made in accordance with Instructions for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Finance in April 2011. These instructions set specific conditions to be met in respect of such appointments including sanction of the Minister for Finance and An Taoiseach for appointments made from outside the civil service. In addition, there is a statutory requirement under the Public Service Management Act, 1997 to obtain the approval of the Government for the appointment of a Special Adviser.

The terms of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 apply to all Ministerial staff appointments, including Special Advisers, and in accordance with these Acts a copy of the appointees' contracts of employment together with details of qualifications are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. In addition, the Acts provide for each individual appointee, with the exception of the grade of Civilian Driver, to make written statements of registerable interests which could materially influence the appointee in, or in relation to, the performance of official functions.

The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour also apply to Ministerial appointees but the Deputy may wish to note that the restrictions on civil servants engaging in political activity under the Code do not apply to Ministerial staff holding temporary unestablished positions in the civil service and whose tenure is coterminous with that of the relevant Minister.

I am satisfied that all of the persons appointed by me are appropriately qualified to carry out their official functions.