More than £540,000 (€620,000) has been spent protecting President Mary McAleese on visits to Northern Ireland since 2005, it was revealed today.
The four-year policing bill for Mrs McAleese's visits was more than all tours from other international leaders combined, figures released by the Police Service showed.
Mrs McAleese, who was born in Belfast, has supported the peace process through 41 engagements in the North with groups from both sides of the community. Her trips since 2005 incurred a total cost of £542,991.
A Policing Board meeting this week revealed last summer's stop in the North by former US president George W Bush cost £306,000.
A tour by Queen Elizabeth II, the President of Croatia, the President of the Czech Republic, the President of Burundi and the Queen of Denmark were among the other bills. The cost of the Queen's visit, which included east Belfast and the Maundy Service in Armagh last March, came to £39,191.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Assembly member Peter Weir said: "Since her election as Irish President, Mary McAleese has had a disconcerting habit of treating Northern Ireland as an extension of her nation's territory, and indulged in frequent and regular jaunts north of the border.
"While this attitude and behaviour has been regarded as inappropriate by many unionists, it is only now that the practical implications of her actions have become apparent."
Áras an Uachtaráin declined to comment.
PA