"The overall cost is far less than under previous governments when there were well over 50 to 60 advisors, " the Fianna Fail leader told the Dail last week. But in typical Ahern fashion, he was comparing the cost of his own department's advisors with the numbers employed by all ministers in the previous Rainbow administration.

Ahern estimated that his staff costs were in the region of 600,000. It is difficult to see how he arrived at what is a hugely conservative figure. The staff in his political advisor and media relations teams would have combined annual incomes in excess of 1m, and that is before the civil servants assigned to his protocol and constituency operations are considered. Aggregating the individuals working for other ministers along with their civil service support staff would push the overall cost of the current advisory system which backs up Fianna Fail, the PDs and the Greens to about 7m a year.

Gerry Hickey, the Taoiseach's programme manager, is top of the advisors' pile with an annual income of 229,918. That is more than any other cabinet minister, including Tanaiste Brian Cowen who has an annual salary of 228,924. A former civil servant, Hickey has spent the last decade as Ahern's senior advisor. And over those 10 years, he has seen his salary increase by more than 100%.

In 1997, when Fianna Fail left opposition for government, Hickey earned 111,000 as a newly appointed programme manager in the Department of the Taoiseach. In this role, he straddles the ambiguous divide between government and party.

While his influence has waned in recent times . . . he was less involved in the recent general election campaign . . . his access to the Taoiseach guarantees seniority and status.

Hickey meets with other ministerial advisors each week and personally reports to Ahern. But his brief goes well beyond being an overseer of the implementation of the programme for government. He is also Ahern's eyes and ears. Ask Ned O'Keeffe. When the then junior food minister was in a spot of bother, it was Hickey who came calling.

Ask Ivor Callely. When the then junior transport minister was in a spot of bother, it was Hickey who came calling. In effect, Hickey is his boss's political hatchet man. He was also involved in the contacts with various independent TDs who agreed after the recent general election to support the three-party coalition that Ahern now leads.

The Taoiseach recently explained the official duties of this advisorial team. "The primary function of the special advisors is to monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of government objectives and to ensure effective coordination in the implementation of the programme for government. They are also tasked with giving me advice and keeping me informed on a wide range of issues including business, financial, economic, political, administrative and media matters, and performing such other functions as may be directed by me, from time to time."

In shorthand, their job is to protect Ahern and his government. They have access well beyond most elected members of Dail Eireann. They are also more influential than most junior ministers and, in some instances, several cabinet members.

They attend meetings of cabinet sub-committees. They liaise with senior civil servants. And they meet with organisations and interest groups outside government.

Along with Hickey, Ahern has a full complement of advisors working in political and media management as well as overseeing his constituency business. Former army officer and ESB media director Eoghan O Neachtain joined recently as Government Press Secretary. His office is supported by four civil servants who work as press officers and several back-up secretarial staff. The recent departure of advisors Gerry Howlin and Una Claffey has yet to be addressed, but other long-time staff members remain, including speech writers Brian Murphy and Padraig Slyne. Former press officer Mandy Johnston has now moved into a backroom advisor role with responsibility for Northern Ireland.

Alongside these political and media handlers, Ahern has the benefit of other back-up staff. Earlier this year, the Dail was told that eight civil servants were assigned to the Taoiseach's constituency work at St Luke's in Drumcondra. Labour's Joan Burton estimates the cost of Ahern's advisorial team at over 1.1m. "Those figures do not even include Mr Ahern's make-up artist or his voice coach from the Gaiety School of Acting, " she said.