Questions of restricted access of advisers to the President denied

Suggestions that senior advisers’ access to President Michael D Higgins is being restricted by more junior staff have been strongly denied by sources familiar with the situation.

It was disclosed this week that the President’s main special adviser Mary van Lieshout had resigned midway through a three-year contract.

In some media reports it was suggested that she had experienced difficulty in getting access to the President by having to go through his executive assistant Kevin McCarthy.

However, sources said Mr McCarthy was one of two administrators working in the President’s private office along with his personal secretary and it was the secretary who managed all appointments and meetings.

“There is no basis to that, it is 100 per cent not right,” said a source, who spoke on the basis of anonymity. “It is the private secretary and not Mr McCarthy who arranges all the meetings and the truth is that nobody has any difficulty in getting access to the President. Nobody is blocking access to the President.”

Ms van Lieshout, an American, has worked in senior positions with non-governmental agencies. She had known Mr Higgins for many years but had not worked for him. She resigned from the position in Áras an Uachtaráin in October and is now working with the aid agency Goal.