Former US president Bill Clinton is to meet the Taoiseach at Government Buildings this afternoon prior to a speaking engagement to publicise a new suicide prevention programme.
Former US President Bill Clinton meets Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Government Buildings in Dublin this afternoon
Mr Clinton will speak for 40 minutes at a dinner at the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin to unveil the RehabCare national suicide prevention plan. Some 1,000 guests will attend the event at a cost of €500 a head.
Mr Clinton is much in demand as a guest speaker since he came to the end of his second term as president in 2001.
RehabCare has refused to confirm reports he will be paid €100,000 to speak at this evening's event.
The body has said it is not paying him any money. Sponsors are paying for the wine and food, and all the money raised will go to the suicide-prevention programme.
Official figures state that 444 people committed suicide in Ireland in 2003 and that there were more than 11,000 suicide attempts. However, it is believed the actual number of suicide attempts and episodes of self-harm may be much higher.