The multimillion-euro bill for the Government's coterie of top advisers and spin doctors has rocketed since the first coalition was formed ten years ago, according to new figures.
Salaries of teams of back-room staff have soared as most are tied to Civil Service pay scales that have been swelled by benchmarking increases.
The highest-paid adviser is Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's programme manager and special adviser Gerry Hickey, who is being paid €225,410, compared with €111,000 when he started in the job in June, 1997.
The Taoiseach's department has a team of 17 back-room staff including Government Press Office executives, special and personal advisers and personal assistants and secretaries.
The cost of running the Taoiseach's advisory team is more than €1.3 million a year.
In addition to Mr Hickey, the Taoiseach's office has six other staff on six-figure salaries. They are Mandy Johnson, Government press secretary, special advisers Gerard Howlin and Una Claffey (all on €133,367) and deputy Government press secretary Mark Costigan (€104,343).
The Taoiseach says the primary function of the special advisers is to "monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of Government objectives and to ensure effective co-ordination in the implementation of the Programme for Government".
"They are also tasked with giving me advice and keeping me informed on a wide range of issues, including business, financial, economic, political, administrative and media matters and performing such other functions as may be directed by me, from time to time," he told Fine Gael's Phil Hogan.
While some of the costs of the staff of Tánaiste Michael McDowell are on the payroll of the Taoiseach, he also has his own back-room office of six staff costing about €450,000 a year.
Mr McDowell's top paid official is his programme manager John O'Brien (€122,590 - €140,385).
In addition to his salary, a further allowance of €25,708 a year is payable.
Former tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has a back-room staff of six, costing about €580,000 a year.
Three are on six-figure salaries: special adviser Oliver O'Connor (€133,367), special adviser Patricia Ryan (€127,732) and press officer Derek Cunningham (€114,203).
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has three back-room staff as well as special adviser Colin Hunt who also works with Minister for Transport Martin Cullen, who pays the €157,786 bill for his contract.
None of the three back-room staff for Mr Cowen paid by his department are on six-figure salaries.
The cost of his advisers is about €180,000 a year.