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Final security bill for Obama’s Moneygall visit tops $16million

Police overtime adds to total cost for Queen and Presidential tours

By
CATHAL DERVAN,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Thursday, July 21, 2011, 7:59 AM
Updated Thursday, July 21, 2011, 3:41 PM

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Michelle and Barack Obama greeting the public in Moneygall
Michelle and Barack Obama greeting the public in Moneygall
Photo by Google Images


President Barack Obama’s one day visit to his ancestral homeland of Moneygall in Ireland cost the taxpayer $16.5million – much of it in overtime.

Irish Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has revealed the full breakdown of the $36million security costs for the recent visits by Obama and the Queen.

Shatter has confirmed to the Irish parliament that travel and subsistence allowances worth close to $5million were paid to police on duty in May.

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Other unspecified ‘other costs’ for police work around the visits amounted to almost $6million, according to the final figures.

The Queen’s four-day visit resulted in a security bill of $34million while $16.5million was spent on Obama’s one-day visit.

“All Garda (police) leave and rest days were cancelled for this period and members on duty were required to work longer than normal shifts,” revealed Minister Shatter.

“Movements of several thousand Garda (police) members over a number of days had to be arranged, involving the hiring of transport and the provision of accommodation.

“A range of security-related equipment also had to be purchased or hired.”

Shatter has been informed by the police authorities that expenditure to date on payroll costs including overtime was $44million: $30million for the Queen’s visit and $14 million for Obama’s trip.

“The visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama required unprecedented security arrangements to be put in place by the Garda Síochána (police) to ensure the safety of our visitors and the maintenance of public order,” added Shatter.

“The safety of our visitors and the maintenance of public order were the top priorities.”

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51 Comments

15 - 51 | See all comments

carol6018 | Jul 30, 2011, 11:56 AM EDT
Obama has got to go! He has no clue as how to run a country and is out for his own agenda!

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McNamara31 | Jul 23, 2011, 08:36 PM EDT
Maloney... He's not my hero. However, I do respect how he has held his head high while the low life’s like Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck made millions slandering and demeaning him and his family, Also I just like a little truth now and then.

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maloney | Jul 23, 2011, 07:27 PM EDT
mcnamara..it took 8 years for Reagan and Bush. It took owebammy 2 1/2 yrs to do his damage. Both past Potus's didn't spend the 4 billion a day like your hero. Enjoy it while ya can, he'll be one term and out.

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McNamara31 | Jul 23, 2011, 07:06 PM EDT
Dear American taxpayers. Did you know: President Reagan made 7 trips to continental Europe, 3 to Asia and 1 to South America. George H Bush went to Europe 11 times, Asia twice, and South America. In November of 2006, George W Bush made a "round the world" presidential flight including stops to Russia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. And BTW since we are counting...Reagan also raised the debt ceiling 18 times! Yep 18 big times.

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longislander1940 | Jul 23, 2011, 04:48 PM EDT
Can you imagine what all his trips cost the American taxpayer? Hope the people wake up before election day.

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McNamara31 | Jul 22, 2011, 07:20 PM EDT
@ Skibberrean says "Barack HUSSEIN Obama the Communist"... There you go again with the Fox News fairy tales.

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kwhitesure | Jul 22, 2011, 05:53 PM EDT
Who invited either of them...citizens? What benefit was their visit to the general public...certainly it did not benefit anyone financially...much to the contrary. How do we let these public figures know that none of us are anywhere near close to being as impressed with them as they are with themselves. Just to think of how many people could have been helped instead of further feeding the egos of those who are but a drain...it makes me shudder...but what can we do to change things/

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Skibberrean | Jul 22, 2011, 11:14 AM EDT
Barack HUSSEIN Obama the Communist, likes to spend money, send him the bill! He is putting the U.S. under with all the uncalled for bailouts and the like. Whats another 16 million.

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McNamara31 | Jul 22, 2011, 10:58 AM EDT
IrateNate Your total ignorance defies logic. Why don't educate yourself about what is really happening in this country? Corporate greed is rolling over the middle class but you would rather believe the "stories" told by Fox run by Roger Ailes (for Murdoch) and has been fighting the fight for the corporate interests since the days of Nixon. I bet the majority of the posts below get their "prop" from Fox rather than trying to see the problems as they are.

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scampers2000 | Jul 22, 2011, 10:22 AM EDT
I meant, send O'bama the bill for security

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scampers2000 | Jul 22, 2011, 10:14 AM EDT
Send Obama the bill

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IrateNate | Jul 22, 2011, 07:51 AM EDT
@ McNamara31: DNC soundbytes, nothing more. "...the situation....was created by the Bush administration." What a crock. You know nothing of what you speak. Hope you enjoyed the visit by O'Bama. I'm certain it was well worth it, getting back to his "roots" and all. Next time, please keep him, or blow him up - most here don't care which.

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peterson | Jul 21, 2011, 08:52 PM EDT
Let that be an expensive lesson. He is spending the U.S.A. into oblivion and won't listen to those who elected him. obumma is probably the worst president they have ever had.

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RichardP | Jul 21, 2011, 08:37 PM EDT
@Pennswoods - check your facts. Ronald Reagan's father was born in California and he was not catholic. His grandfather was English and was a protestant; it was his great-grandfather who was Irish and Catholic - from the same part of Ireland as Falmouth Kearney, although Kearney was born and reared just outside Moneygall on the Tipperary/Offaly border. Please provide an answer to the following: In what way does being Catholic make a person more Irish?

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Maxwells | Jul 21, 2011, 07:14 PM EDT
The Obama touch... everything he touches turns to debt. His $800 Billion Stimulus put the US deeper in Debt with unemployment rate much higher then before he wasted all that money. His Heath Care plan cost $900 billion and has already raised the premiums reduced services. His War in Libya running up into the Billions, in addition to the two wars he’s already kept supporting. Obama’s run America into the ground, You want Him you Take him… America Can’t Afford Obama.

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