Office tells me when it’s safe to f ly – Higgins
PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has said his own office advised him to fly to Belfast by Government jet as pressure mounts on him to explain why he didn’t use the Presidential car for such a short journey.
Issues relating to the expenditure of the office have followed Mr Higgins throughout the entire campaign.
Despite his pledge to publish accounts after the election, his challengers continue to probe his travel expenditure, particularly his use of the Government jet.
It emerged that he used a Learjet to travel to Belfast to deliver a lecture on May 29 and that a car travelled by road from Dublin to Belfast to collect him from Belfast airport.
It is estimated that the jet costs more than €3,700 an hour to fly.
Yesterday he said regarding security and logistics: ‘I take the advice from my office.’
And last week during the Virgin Media’s Presidential debate, the incumbent said this travel arrangement was down to security concerns.
He told host Pat Kenny that ‘for security reasons, I couldn’t be picked up at the border’.
The following day on the campaign trail, Mr Higgins is understood to have told reporters that before his trips to Belfast, his office always consults with the PSNI ‘about where they will pick me up’.
The President is reported to have acknowledged there was a problem on the day in question but continued that the ‘important thing’ was to deliver his lecture as representatives from ‘all sides’ of the community were set to be in attendance.
However, it was reported that his comments had sparked some annoyance among security forces in the North, as the BBC reported a PSNI source as saying it would be ‘inconceivable that the President of Ireland would not have been afforded security if it had been requested’.
The BBC also reported that PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said the force ‘routinely’ works with ‘visiting heads of state and other key figures visiting Northern Ireland and make full provisions for their safety in line with their requirements’.
Yesterday, Mr Higgins said: ‘I have visited Northern Ireland many times in the last seven years, and I take the advice from my office and my office judges these trips in terms of... logistics and security.’
The issue is likely to feature strongly in the Prime Time Presidential debate on RTÉ One tonight, the last TV broadcast to feature all six candidates prior to polling day on Friday.
Challenger Seán Gallagher yesterday rounded on the President over his explanation, as he said the ‘most recent comments raise more questions than they provide answers’.
He said: ‘I think the main issue that is occupying people’s minds is why would anyone take a Government Learjet 100 miles up the road to Belfast to give a lecture?
‘That doesn’t make sense in the context of so many people struggling with housing, healthcare and so many other issues.’ Mr Gallagher said: ‘When you add that to the pattern of extravagance of staying in a €3,000 a night hotel in Geneva, the pattern that is emerging is not a good one.
‘I think we need to move away from hiding behind issues such as security. I think we need transparency. The people demand it, deserve it. It’s taxpayers’ money.’
Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada yesterday said she had sent a letter to Mr Higgins over ‘a number of very serious issues’, including his use of the jet to fly within Ireland.
‘It is my strong view that discussing these issues publicly is the only means left to reassure our citizens that public finances are being properly used,’ she added.
Meanwhile, Peter Casey reemerged on the campaign trail yesterday after taking a short break to consider his position.
And it emerged that he had contacted the Garda about a ‘serious threat’ made against him.
It is believed this threat involved a video of a middle-aged male challenging Mr Casey to a debate. Towards the end of the clip, which was posted on social media, the man states ‘get back to me or else I’ll come looking for you, Peter’.
The Garda last night said it did not comment on named individuals.
‘Hiding behind security issues’ ‘Serious threat’