Another member of the Taoiseach's team of advisers is leaving to work in the private sector. Mr Marty Whelan, manager of the Government Communications Unit, is to leave his post at the end of January to join a public relations company run by the Taoiseach's former adviser, Mr Paddy Duffy.
Mr Whelan is the fourth member of the Taoiseach's political staff to leave in a little over a year.
Apart from Mr Duffy, Mr Jackie Gallagher, an adviser to the Taoiseach, left a year ago to join Fleishman Hilliard consultants. He has since set up his own communications company with Mr Declan Kelly.
The Taoiseach's partner and constituency secretary, Ms Celia Larkin, took six months' leave of absence from the Taoiseach's office in October to run an image consultancy business.
The Taoiseach's appointments secretary, Ms Delia Vaughan, joined Mr Duffy's company, The Right Word, shortly after it was established.
Mr Duffy was one of Mr Ahern's closest allies and was at one stage his chef de cabinet. He resigned as special adviser to the Taoiseach last June after it emerged that he was a director of Dillon Consultants, which had advised NTL on its purchase of Cablelink from two State companies. Mr Duffy came under pressure to quit after the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, described as "totally unacceptable" the fact that he was a director of the company.
Mr Duffy confirmed to The Irish Times last night that Mr Whelan would be joining his company, which has offices in Harcourt Street, Dublin.
"I am delighted that Marty is joining my business. He is an exceptionally talented young man", Mr Duffy said. He added that his business was doing "extremely well".
It is understood that Mr Whelan informed the Taoiseach and other staff members of his decision to leave yesterday.
He joined Fianna Fail as press officer in 1994. When Fianna Fail went into Government with the Progressive Democrats in June 1997 he became manager of the Government Communications Unit, which monitors the national and local radio stations. Before joining Fianna Fail he was a research officer with the National Youth Council.