SALARY GUIDELINES for special advisers were broken in the case of eight out of 15 Government departments, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said.
He said he understood the argument about people coming from a highly competitive jobs market, and the desire to get some people in speciality areas advising government.
“However, the argument is disingenuous in the context of some of the interventions by the Government.”
He claimed the Government had been involved in “a public relations exercise’’.
Denying this, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Mr Martin was “either the victim or the beneficiary’’ over the years of having specialist advice made available to him in the many ministries in which he served.
Mr Kenny said the cost of advisers was almost €500,000 less than during the previous government.
He had pointed out previously, the Taoiseach added, that the guidelines allowed for a breach of the guidelines in specific circumstances.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams suggested to the Taoiseach that he engage in “some mature reflection’’ regarding his assertion that he had not intervened in the setting of salary scales.
Mr Kenny said an email bandied about had been sent from his office regarding the sanction of the appointment of a special adviser to a Minister.
“The level of salary for that individual was not decided on my determination but in agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform,’’ he added.
The individual concerned, he said, had worked in the department without pay for a number of months.
He said he had felt it was time a decision was made about sanctioning his position.
The Taoiseach told Mr Adams that five special advisers, one of whom worked for chief whip Paul Kehoe, were employed in his department.
They provided briefings and advice on a wide range of policy matters, as well as liaising with other special advisers in each department so that he could remain informed on developments across the Government.
Mr Kenny revealed that Mark Kennelly, chief of staff, and Andrew McDowell, special adviser, were each paid €168,000, while special advisers Paul O’Brien, Angela Flanagan and Mark O’Doherty were each paid €80,051.
