Further expansion in number of government advisors amid speculation over pay rates

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, here arriving for a session of Dáil Eireann at the Convention Centre, Dublin, could have up to six advisors. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Amid opposition about the amount of money being spent on unelected advisors in government, one potential advisor has refused to deny he has asked for a "far larger" salary than what is available.

The salaries for special advisors for the last Dáil recorded in July 2019 began at around €65,000 per year, and increased steadily to around €160,000 for the Taoiseach's Deputy Secretary. 

Seven advisers in the last government were on pay rates above the peak pay scale for their role.

The Dáil heard on Tuesday that Taoiseach Micheál Martin has appointed a chief of staff, a deputy chief of staff, three special advisers and will shortly appoint an economic adviser.

The Tánaiste's office will have five or six special advisers, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan could have up to five special advisers.

One of Mr Ryan's appointees is former Green Party staffer Dónall Geoghegan, a Political Coordinator for the Independent Ministers in the last government, serving as a political manager and advisor for Ministers Katharine Zappone and Sean Canney.

He has been offered a new role in the Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Green Party coalition based in the Taoiseach's office "working for a party leader", Mr Geoghegan confirmed.

Mr Geoghegan previously served as Programme Manager to the Green Party while they were in government in 2007, acting as a political advisor and 'chef de cabinet', and as General Secretary for the Green Party while in opposition.

Sources with knowledge of the administration of hiring the new staff around Leinster House for the new government say Mr Geoghan has requested a salary which "is way above what would be expected".

When the question was put to Mr Geoghan if he had requested such a salary, he replied: "I don't want to answer that."

Alongside Mr Geoghan in the Green section of government advisors is Anna Conlon, Leitrim GFAA player, the party's parliamentary political manager and former assistant to Eamon Ryan.

Party researchers John McDonald and Eamonn Fahey have also been elevated from Eamon Ryan's staff to government advisors. 

It's understood that deputy leader and Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin, is still filtering through potential appointments. 

Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman has appointed Green Party General Secretary Eoin Wilson, who is a former Parliamentary Assistant to Social Democrats founder Catherine Murphy.

It has become a recent tradition that each new government poaches from Ireland's media pool, and this year has been no different.

Irish Times deputy political editor Fiach Kelly will be joining newly appointed Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, while the Business Post's Health Correspondent Susan Mitchell will be advising Minister Stephen Donnelly in Health.