Bill will not make advisers civil servants, says McCreevy

FINANCE MINISTER Charlie McCreevy insisted yesterday that a new Bill coming before the Dáil today will not give the Government the power to make their special advisers permanent civil servants.

Mr McCreevy was responding to claims by the Labour Party that the Government is planning to make their special advisers permanent and pensionable civil servants by the “back door”.

The new Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Bill 2003 which will be debated in the Dáil today contains this major change, Labour’s Finance spokeswoman Joan Burton claimed.