President slashes costs at the Aras
Friday November 06 2009
President Mary McAleese will be sending most of her Christmas cards by email this year as part of her efforts to cut costs.
The President is slashing the budget at Aras an Uachtarain by €40,000 in response to the Government's fiscal crisis.
Mrs McAleese took a 10pc pay cut to her €325,508 salary this time last year, bringing her wages down to €292,957.
The president is now targeting savings in day-to-day running costs at the Aras.
"It's nip and tuck everywhere, including walking around the Aras turning off lights," she said.
"You can't be in a position of public leadership and be immune from what is going on."
The State is constitutionally barred from cutting the president's allowance, but Mrs McAleese told the Department of Finance in September that 12.5pc of the Aras household budget will not be spent.
The letter stated the president intended to start making savings straight away.
The household budget is worth €325,000 a year. It was set in 1998 at £225,000 and never increased since.
The fund primarily covers the cost of funding social and official events at the Aras, including State dinners, visits by dignitaries and diplomats and special recognition days.
- Colm Kelpie and Fionnan Sheahan
Irish Independent
