The President, Mrs McAleese, has received an apology from the BBC after she was asked how, in her position, she managed to "keep her mouth shut" on her views on different issues.
The question was put to Mrs McAleese during an interview on Radio 4's Woman's Hour yesterday.
A spokeswoman for the President said some of the language used had been "inappropriate" and she had also had difficulty with "the phraseology of the questions asked". "She found them to be very inappropriate for anybody, never mind a head of State."
The spokeswoman said there had been "chats afterwards with editors and station managers". The letter of apology arrived in the early afternoon.
Mrs McAleese agreed to be involved in the programme, hosted by Jenni Murray, to mark International Women's Day on Monday. She took part from the BBC studios in Dublin. The broadcast began at 11 a.m. and the live interview was the first item.
It covered a variety of issues including women in Irish society, her own background and her role as President. She said her role was a non-political one.
Ms Murray asked: "You have in the past been very outspoken in your views, and you've been very controversial in your views, and I think comments about your nationalist background. How do you keep your mouth shut for a seven-ear term?"
Mrs McAleese replied tersely: "Well, I don't . . . em . . . I think that is a rather crude expression to use, if you don't mind me saying so. I didn't think the BBC talked that kind of language, but in any event . . . presidents are, the role of the President of Ireland is not to be involved in what you might call day-to-day politics, but it is what you might call a position of ambassadorship and leadership."
She went on to say that her role did not silence her: it just indicated the areas where she was entitled to speak.
Her spokeswoman said the tone of the questions was inappropriate and not "the sort of interview that was originally designed and agreed to by us in the area of questions. That was not agreed by us."
A spokeswoman for Radio 4 told The Irish Times yesterday afternoon that the controller of Radio 4, Mr James Boyle, had written a letter of apology to the President.
"It was a personal letter. It said we were very grateful that she had taken part in the programme and it was not our intention to cause any upset. We are sorry she felt offended. We are delighted she took part in the programme. The interview was wonderful and she sounded great."
The President accepted the apology, her spokeswoman said.