Adviser salaries: Kenny’ chief of staff tops the list

Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s chief of staff is the highest paid special adviser in Government, new figures show.

The pay rates for all Government advisers have been published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Only one special adviser has breached the pay cap for advisers.

Brian Murphy, who counsels Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar, has a higher scale of €99,370.

Six-figure salary

This was approved when Mr Varadkar was in the Department of Health.

The highest paid adviser is Mark Kennelly, who is deputy secretary to the Taoiseach. Mr Kennelly receives a salary of €156, 380 a year.

Each Minister is entitled to appoint two special advisers. In most cases one deals with policy matters while the other handles media matters.

The total cost for all Government advisers is €3 million.