Guidelines on consultants' salaries published

The government has issued guidelines for the pay given to consultants engaged by the various ministries. The guidelines were tabled in Parliament yesterday by the prime minister. They provide that the Office of the Prime Minister may have up to eight consultants. Ministries which include a parliamentary secretary may have six consultants and those without a parliamentary secretary may have four consultants. Consultants may be contracted for one year or for three years, and their contract may be renewed. In all cases, indefinite employment cannot be expected. The highest pay of a consultant is €33,853, equivalent to scale three of the civil service. Retired public officers engaged as consultants cannot be paid more than the pay of the grade they retired from. In all cases, salaries have to be negotiated and worked out as a proportion of the hours worked. A consultant would be entitled to a mobile phone and ADSL connection at home up to a maximum of €1,815 per annum. In particular cases, a consultant may be granted a car allowance equivalent to €2,320 per annum for those who work 20 hours a week, and €4,659 per annum for those who work between 21 and 40 hours per week. In...