Fine Gael Deputy John O’Mahony has revealed that private and constituency office staff for Government ministers amount to some 200 staff at a cost of at least €10 million. Dep O’Mahony said that the Government’s big talk about public sector reform is undermined by their inability to get their own house in order.
“A series of parliamentary questions has revealed that constituency and private office staff for ministers are costing €10 million in annual salaries with over 200 staff for 14 ministers.
“Taxpayers will rightly wonder what value for money is being received from the 14 staff required by the Minister for Health at a cost of over €1 million. The Green Minister, John Gormley, has now surpassed the Health Minister for staff numbers with nine in his private office and 6.5 in his constituency office.
“These figures show only too clearly that the Government pays lip service to reform but fails to look for waste closer to home.”
