Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
240. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the salary paid to the President for each year from 2012 to date; the details of any amounts waived or returned by him to the Exchequer in those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34249/23]
View answerThe Presidential Establishment (Amendment) Act, 1973 provides that the remuneration for the President will be equal to the remuneration of the Chief Justice increased by 10%. The salary for the President for the years 2012 – 2022 was €325,507. This was increased to €332,017 as of 1 March 2023 in line with the Review of Building Momentum.
With regard to the Deputy’s question on any amounts waived or returned to the Exchequer, section 483 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, provides for a gift on an annual basis to be made to the Minister for Finance to be applied for any purpose for or towards the cost of which public moneys are provided. Gifting of salary is a personal matter for individual taxpayers and gifts are accepted by the Minister for Finance. Tax affairs of individual taxpayers cannot be disclosed due to the obligation to protect taxpayer confidentiality as provided for by section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997. Furthermore, I understand that there are considerations under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in relation to the disclosure of personal data.
In addition, ARTICLE 13 of the Constitution of Ireland states: 8 1° The President shall not be answerable to either House of the Oireachtas or to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and functions of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of these powers and functions.
