Coalition ‘hiring party hacks’

THE coalition parties were accused of looking after their own “party hacks” by appointing supporters to highly paid Government positions.

All of the 11 highest-paid special advisers, including nine whose pay is in breach of the Government’s €93,000 salary cap, were involved with Fine Gael or Labour before they entered Government.

The appointments were made without a public recruitment process and without being advertised.

Enda Kenny’s two top aides in Fine Gael, Mark Kennelly and Andrew McDowell, are now his advisers as Taoiseach, with a salary of €168,000 each.

The Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, meanwhile, appointed the party’s former director of policy, Colm O’Reardon, on €155,000, and chef de cabinet, Mark Garrett, as his two special advisers. Mr Garrett is earning €168,000.

The wages of the top four advisers are not subject to the €93,000 cap announced by the Government when it took office.

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton secured the highest salary above the pay cap. Her special adviser, Edward Brophy, is paid almost €128,000.

Five members of Fine Gael’s press office or back-room policy team are also in highly paid positions advising either the Taoiseach or ministers.

Earlier this week, the Taoiseach defended his decision to sanction a salary of €127,000 for Ciaran Conlon — the former director of communications for Fine Gael and now special adviser to Jobs Minister Richard Bruton.

Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty once again accused the Government of protecting high earners while delivering “a devastating budget which has hit the poorest hardest”.

He told the Dáil: “We have seen how the Government looks after its own, with party hacks being appointed as special advisers in high positions.”

He said the huge payments were being awarded in contrast to the treatment of those on disability allowance, lone parents and people in community nursing homes.

“Pay caps are being breached because the Tánaiste tells us that these people are worth it, yet nothing is being done for those on the dole.”

A Government spokesperson said there had been a “substantial reduction” in the cost of ministerial advisers in comparison with the previous government. He said the total cost of advisers is 30% less than in December 2009.

“Some 39 out of 41 ministerial advisers in the last government were earning salaries above the principal officer scale of €92,000. The comparable number for this government is 10.”

Expensive advice Top advisers and their pay

Mark Kennelly, special adviser to the Taoiseach. Pay: €168,000. (Worked with Fine Gael since the early 1990s, moving up the ranks from researcher until becoming chef de cabinet in Fine Gael in 2001.)

Andrew McDowell, special adviser to the Taoiseach: €168,000. (Policy adviser in Fine Gael since 2006.)

Feargal Purcell, Government press secretary: €116,295. (Served three years in the Defence Forces press office before joining Fine Gael as deputy press officer in 2008.)

Joanne Lonergan, Taoiseach’s staff: €86,604. (Former senior member of Fine Gael press office.)

Mark Garrett, special adviser to the Tánaiste: €168,000. (A member of Labour since university. Was chef de cabinet in the party since 2004.)

Colm O’Reardon, special adviser to the Tánaiste: €155,000. (Worked for the Labour leader since 2002 and became director of policy.)

Cathy Madden, deputy Government press secretary: €96,295. (Worked as a news reporter in 98FM and Newstalk before joining the Labour press office less than a year before the election.)

Ciaran Conlon, special adviser to Richard Bruton:€127,000. (With Fine Gael since 2002. Was a director of communications for a number of years before moving to head of strategy ahead of the general election.)

Ronan O’Brien, special adviser to Brendan Howlin: €114,000. (Advised Ruairí Quinn when he was leader of the Labour Party.)

Brian Murphy, special adviser to Leo Varadkar, €115,837. (Former chair of Fine Gael national executive council and former adviser to Gay Mitchell MEP.)

Edward Brophy, special adviser to Joan Burton: €127,769. (Advised Labour in a voluntary capacity before the last election.)

Paul O’Brien, Taoiseach’s staff: €80,051. (Was part of policy team in Fine Gael.)

Angela Flanagan, Taoiseach’s staff: €80,051..(Former policy adviser in Fine Gael.)

Jean O’Mahony, Tánaiste’s staff: €80,051. (Former policy adviser in Fine Gael.)

Finbarr O’Malley, special adviser for Pat Rabbitte: €83,337. (Former policy adviser in Labour.)

Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill, part time adviser to Frances Fitzgerald: €40,025. (Former legal adviser for Fine Gael.)

Nick Miller, media adviser to Leo Varadkar: €80,051. (Former member of Fine Gael press office.)

Áine Kilroy, special adviser to Simon Coveney: €80,051. (Former policy researcher for Fine Gael.)

Stephen O’Shea, special adviser to Lucinda Creighton: €61,966. (Was active in Young Fine Gael, worked on the 2007 general election and had been a personal assistant to Ms Creighton in opposition.)

Sean Faughnan, adviser to James Reilly: €80,051. (A former Fine Gael official who worked on the party’s Fair Care plan)

Mary Kenny, adviser to Michael Noonan: €83,337. (Long-serving aide of Mr Noonan.)

— compiled by Mary Regan, Political Correspondent.