Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At the time of the enactment of the Presidential Establishment Act, the allowance was €5,000 per annum. It is now €317,000 per annum. This is not about the current President any more than it is about Douglas Hyde. It is about appropriate oversight. There are expenses associated with the Presidency, be that wardrobe expenses and so on, that I am sure the public would support and understand. The value that the President gives in terms of promoting Ireland internally and abroad, at €12 million, is cheap but the €317,000 allowance does not help the complexion when we are here trying to sort out other issues. I appreciate it is not the committee's function to legislate. I may consider bringing forth a Private Members' Bill which, hopefully, will get cross-party support. I am again at pains to point out and underline that this is not about the current President anymore than it is about any previous or future President but it is a matter that needs to be rectified.