Taxpayer hit with £174k bill for Clinton security
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's one-day visit to Northern Ireland last month cost the taxpayer almost £175,000 in policing costs, it can be revealed.
The expenditure came to light following a Freedom of Information request by the News Letter.
Following an overnight stay in the Province and after holding talks with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the former First Lady addressed MLAs in the Assembly chamber at Stormont.
Mrs Clinton, a leading figure in the current Barack Obama administration, also met business figures at Queen's University and officially re-opened Belfast City Hall following its multi-million refurbishment.
Under tight security a "ring of steel" was enforced around the Europa Hotel, where Mrs Clinton and her entourage spent the night.
The cavalcade of Range Rovers taking the US Secretary between appointments was flanked by numerous PSNI motorbikes, while police personnel dressed in flak jackets kept watch from various viewpoints across Belfast city centre.
A high level breakdown of policing costs released to the News Letter show that a total of 174,319.72 was spent in security provision for the politician's visit.
This included 32,454 relating to a Close Protection Unit - typically containing armed police. Over 56,000 was attributed to police overtime.
The PSNI refused to disclose the number of officers involved in the security operation, citing it may in the future "increase the vulnerability of those in receipt of PSNI protection and the police officers providing the protection".
Asked to justify the expenditure surrounding Mrs Clinton's visit, a police spokesperson said: "It is the responsibility of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to ensure the safety of high-profile visitors and the public during events such as this.
"The PSNI has played a central role in previous visits including US Presidents, British Prime Ministers, Irish Taoisigh and Presidents, and members of the Royal Family."
A similar high-profile visit to the Province by the then US President George Bush last year cost the taxpayer more than 300,000 in policing costs.
A major security operation was implemented in and around Belfast and Parliament Buildings, where Mr Bush held talks with Ulster's political leaders.
Assembly business was also suspended for the day and a no-flight exclusion zone was implemented over the city.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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