Presidential hopeful Michael D Higgins said today that moving away from personal finance towards discussions of voter laws and the Supreme Court would be a better use of presidential campaigns.
In a letter issued yesterday evening, Independent Mary Davis challenged all other candidates to disclose their full earnings.
Ms Davis urged her six rivals to disclose their income, as well as fees and expenses from other employment, boards and organisations. She also said that all should confirm their tax-compliant status.
Mr Higgins has a pension income of just under €110,000, including a 90,000 Dáil and ministerial pension, and a university teaching pension of just under €20,000.
In an effort for full disclosure, Mr Higgins also mentioned two of his poetry books had been published but income from their sales was minimal.
Mr Higgins said he would not be drawing any pension from his Oireachtas service if he is elected.
Mr Higgins did not answer whether the pensions of presidential candidates were germane to the campaign, but he did say that if a candidate were to fail to declare their full earnings, it might be suggested they were hiding something.
Mr Higgins said he wished the candidates were discussing issues of more sincere significance in the light of the constitutional review coming up within a year.
Discussing votes for immigrants and the reference of legislation to the Supreme Court would help to use the campaign time as fruitfully as possible, he said.