The President, Mrs McAleese, received a salary and allowances of €548,309 last year, according to new Government figures. The payments comprised personal remuneration of €230,875 and an annual allowance of €317,434.
The allowance is used by Mrs McAleese, who will be inaugurated for a second seven-year term next month, to pay for the running of Áras an Úachtaráin and entertainment in the house.
Details of the payments are contained in the 2003 Finance Accounts for the Government, which were available from yesterday in the Dáil library.
The accounts, which comprise the audited financial statements of the Exchequer, also detail the pensions paid to former ministers and attorneys general and the remuneration of members of the judiciary.
The value of such pensions in 2003 was a little more than €3 million, the figures show. They also included allowances for expenses of some €6.25 million which were paid to the leaders of the Government and opposition parties.
The accounts indicate that the former minister, Mr Ray Burke, who must pay some €10 million in legal fees to the planning tribunal, received a ministerial pension last year of €44,435.
The former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, who is suffering from prostate cancer, received a ministerial pension of €85,735 last year. He also receives a separate pension in respect of his time as a TD.
The family of Mr Haughey made a €5 million settlement with the Revenue in March 2003 for "outstanding tax liabilities". Mr Haughey made a separate settlement of €1.28 million in 2000.
The pensions paid to other former Taoisigh were: Mr John Bruton (€77,361); Mr Albert Reynolds (€84,578); Dr Garret FitzGerald (€80,377); and Mr Liam Cosgrave (€64,301).
The pensions paid to former attorneys general included: Mr Peter Sutherland (€40,025); Mr John Rogers (€36,198); Mr Harry Whelehan (€43,793); Mr David Byrne (€34,662); and Mr Dermot Gleeson (€38,707).
One of the highest pensions was a sum of €93,090 paid to Mr P.L. McDonnell, a former comptroller and auditor general. The current comptroller, Mr John Purcell, was paid a salary of €179,252.
The figures show that Ms Mary Robinson, the former president, received a pension last year of €119,463. Mrs Rita Childers, widow of the late Erskine Childers, received a pension of €59,732 in respect of his time as president.
The former president, Dr Patrick Hillery, received a pension of €119,463 for his time at Áras an Úachtaráin and a separate pension of €33,779 in respect of his time as minister.
The former EU commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, received a ministerial pension of €39,387 in 2003. Another former commission, Mr Ray McSharry, received a ministerial pension of €31,814.
Pensions paid to former Fianna Fáil ministers and ministers of State included: Mr David Andrews (€48,395); Mr Gerry Collins (€43,356); Mr Brendan Daly (€35,658); Mr Sean Doherty (€16,559); Ms Maire Geoghegan Quinn (€49,715); Senator Mary O'Rourke (€43,838); and Mr Michael O'Kennedy (€57,471).
Pensions paid to former Fine Gael ministers included: Mr Enda Kenny (€12,217); Mr Peter Barry (€50,337); the late Mr T.F. O'Higgins (€5,016); Mr Sean Barrett (€27,005); Mr Patrick Cooney (€43,356); Mrs Nora Owen (€21,851); Mr Jim O'Keeffe (€15,405); and Mr Michael Noonan (€24,824).
Labour Party figures in receipt of ministerial pensions included: Mr Pat Rabbitte (€4,768); Mr Ruairí Quinn (€36,111); Mr Dick Spring (€59,499); and Mr Michael D. Higgins (€15,377).
Pensions paid to former Progressive Democrats ministers included: Mr Des O'Malley (€43,356) and Mr Robert Molloy (€52,991).
Pensions for the widows and children of former ministers and other office-holders amounted to €485,567.
The accounts also listed severance payments totalling €249,026 to former ministers and other office-holders who lost their jobs after the 2002 general election.
Such payments are made when they cease to hold office. They comprise an initial allowance of 75 per cent of the ministerial salary, declining to zero over a period of almost two years.
The figures also show that the former chief justice, Mr Ronan Keane, was paid €209,885 in 2003, while the seven judges of the Supreme Court received €1.33 million in remuneration.
The judges of the High Court were paid €4.84 million, those of the Circuit Court €3.95 million, while the judges of the District Court received €5.43 million.
