Presidential spending scrutiny ‘100% within remit’ of Dáil committee

A powerful Dáil committee is considering examining the cost of Michael D Higgins’ term in office before October’s election, amid fears ongoing questions over the amount of money being spent could overshadow the presidential race.

The Irish Examiner has learned that the cross-party Public Accounts Committee will discuss plans to investigate the scale of presidential spending in the past seven years, when it returns from its summer break in September.

In recent weeks, a number of potential presidential candidates — including businessman Gavin Duffy and senator Ger Craughwell, who has since dropped out of the race — have said there is a need for more transparency in Áras an Uachtaráin spending.

The calls were further heightened last week after it was claimed President Higgins stayed at a five-star, €3,000-a-night hotel last year in Geneva, Switzerland.

As Mr Duffy yesterday reiterated his call for presidential spending transparency, PAC chair and Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming confirmed to this newspaper that the issue is to be examined by the PAC when it returns next month.

“The Public Accounts Committee will consider that issue in September as to whether to include the presidency costs in our work programme or not.

“We haven’t discussed it yet, but I want to be clear it is 100% within our remit to do so and I will be asking the committee to allow it to be included in the work programme in our next meeting in September.

“It is certainly on our radar,” said Mr Fleming, adding that any examination will have to take place before October’s presidential election in order to be relevant. Should the PAC agree to examine the presidential costs when it returns from the summer break, its questions will not be raised with Mr Higgins directly.

Instead, they will be focussed on the Department of the Taoiseach’s secretary general Martin Fraser, who is responsible for overseeing public spending on the presidency.

In addition, the questions are likely to be limited to the amount of money being spent on Áras an Uachtaráin by government departments.

This is due in part to the fact that the day-to-day spending levels of the president are outside the scope of the latest Freedom of Information Act law from 2014, as the presidential position is deemed to be “above politics”.

Since being elected in 2011, Mr Higgins has slashed his own salary and pension entitlements in solidarity with the rest of the country, voluntarily waiving €76,493 of his salary every year in addition to his entire €53,558 TD pension and €39,901 ministerial pension.

However, while there has been no suggestion of over-spending in the presidential office or calls for PR- focussed cutbacks on a role that is central to the national image, questions have been raised in weeks over a number of known expenses, including:

An estimated €1.5m on Government jet and official visit flights since 2011.

An increase in Áras an Uachtaráin running costs from €2.96m in 2012 to more than €3.5m in recent years.

Staff salary costs of up to €15m since 2011.

Claims last week that President Higgins stayed at the €3,000-a -night, five-star Beau-Rivage Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, on an official visit last year.

While President Higgins yesterday opened Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Drogheda, Co Louth, Mr Duffy attended Tullamore agricultural show in Co Offaly, after claims he placed “welcome” signs in Drogheda yesterday as part of his election campaign.