The Taoiseach has confirmed the State will pay the security costs of the visit by US president Mr George W Bush to Ireland in June and has asked Irish citizens not to add to those costs through protests or by "renting a crowd from outside" during the visit.
Answering questions in the Dail today, Mr Ahern said similar measures would be put in place for the visit as had been put in place for previous visits by US presidents, including Mr Bill Clinton.
However, he did not specify the estimated cost of President Bush's visit at the end of June. Mr Ahern was responding to questions from the Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent. Mr Sargent said the estimated cost for President Bush's visit to Britain was around £1 million per day in terms of the increased security costs.
The Green Party TD asked whether any request has been received for "immunity" for secret service agents and 'snipers', which he said he understood was requested of Britain when Mr Bush visited there recently.
Mr Sargent wondered whether that was something the Government had considered. He believed the British authorities had also been asked to establish a "sterile" zone around President Bush as well and that this had been acceded to, but that only British agents had "free reign" there.
"There's a fairly well-run system by the United States, which is demanding enough," Mr Ahern said.
"Whenever a president of whatever administration comes there's an advance party. They lay down certain stringent regulations which are based on their own reports following the assassination of John F Kennedy 40 years ago and they go through those same procedures."
He said these procedures had been followed for all visits by US presidents to the State and they would be in place again this time. He said the security was being dealt with, in the first instance, by the Garda.
"I don't think there's any change. It's the same procedure that we've had on a few occasions for President Clinton. There is a cost, undoubtedly. The country pays it. We have an onus on us that's why I think it's important for our citzens not to put up that cost or to rent a crowd from outside to put up that cost."
The Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins said it was interesting to hear the Taoiseach describe the 100,000 people who marched in Dublin last year to protest against the war on Iraq as a "rent-a-crowd".