FORMER JOURNALIST Maev-Ann Wren has been appointed as an adviser to Minister of State Róisín Shortall, although junior ministers had not been expected to appoint advisers.

New Department of Finance guidelines said Ministers of State were not expected to appoint advisers, except in Government-approved exceptional circumstances. “There has been a Government decision specifically in relation to this appointment,” the Government press secretary told a post-Cabinet briefing at which the appointment was announced yesterday.

Ms Wren is a former Irish Timesjournalist and health policy author, while Ms Shortall has responsibility for primary care at the Department of Health.

Willie Penrose, who resigned as the so-called “super junior” minister yesterday, was entitled to appoint two advisers.

He appointed unsuccessful Labour general election candidate Aidan Culhane as a special adviser on a salary in line with principal officers.