SEANAD REPORT:MINISTER OF State for Public Service Reform Brian Hayes has defended the controversial pay rise given to Government adviser Ciarán Conlon.

Though Mr Hayes did not mention him by name, he said those who come to work for the Government from the private sector should expect to earn the same salary as in the private sector.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny overruled both Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, and Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin in sanctioning an increase of €35,000 above the cap of €92,000 for special advisers in the pay for Mr Conlon.

Mr Conlon, who was previously Fine Gael’s director of communications, is now special adviser to Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton.

Mr Hayes was responding to Fianna Fáil Seanad group leader Darragh O’Brien who said the way in which special advisers were appointed was wrong, even if had been the practice of previous governments.

Speaking through the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill amendment stage, Mr O’Brien said there was “no reason on earth” government adviser positions should not be advertised and he questioned the expertise of many such advisers.

Speaking during the amendment stage of the Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011, Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh proposed that the ESRI definition of poverty for those who could not afford at least two things from a list of 11 should be used to exclude households and individuals from the €100 charge.

Those include the ability to buy presents for family or friends at least once a year, have two pairs of strong shoes, buy new not second-hand clothes or have family or friends for a drink or meal once a month.

Fine Gael Senator Paul Bradford said that if the criteria were to be applied in a strict fashion to every charge it would exclude 95 per cent of households in the country.