Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1983 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1978 - 1979

APPENDIX 21

HOUSEHOLD STAFF—ARAS AN UACHTARÁIN.

Vote 9 (Public Works and Buildings)

(Subhead A3)

A Government decision was made on the 13th February 1979 that as from the 1st January 1979 the remuneration and employers social insurance contributions of the household staff of the President (hitherto paid by the President from his allowances) should be met from the Vote for Public Works and Buildings. It was also arranged that the staff should be taken into the employment of the Office of Public Works.

A Supplementary Estimate of £25,000 as advised by the Department of the Taoiseach and the President’s Office was provided for 1979 so as to extend the ambit of the Vote for Public Works and Buildings and provide a new subhead (A3) for the additional service which was not provided for in the original estimate.

The Household Staff at Aras an Uachtaráin for which the provision of £25,000 was made comprised:

The £25,000 also provided for a Doorkeeper (not then recruited) and two additional staff, namely, 1 House/Parlour Maid and 1 General Relief in the Kitchen.

Recoupment was made to the President of the salaries, wages and Social Insurance contributions paid by him from 1st January 1979 to 2nd January 1980. From the 3rd January 1980 the Household staff were taken into the employment of the Office of Public Works and paid directly by that Office. The amount spent by the Office of Public Works out of the provision of £25,000 in 1979 was £15,809. The discrepancy between the estimate and the expenditure arose as follows:

The two additional staff referred to above were not authorised until late December 1979 so the filling of the posts could not be considered until 1980. The post of Doorkeeper was also unfilled throughout 1979. Other vacancies also ocurred in 1979 and there were delays in filling them owing to the need for staff of high calibre and the difficulty of attracting suitable employees because of the isolation of the Aras and the transport problems involved in getting access to it.

Another matter which contributed to the discrepacy was that increases in wages which were anticipated in 1979 and made effective from 1st August 1979 did not reach the stage of payment until early 1980.

Office of Public Works

18 January, 1983.