The President has labelled claims the salary of an employee in the Áras was enhanced at his discretion, "an untruth."
Last month it emerged the office of the President receives an allowance of €317,000, on top of the Presidential salary.
President Michael D Higgins insists no salary of an employee was increased from the discretionary allowance.
"That's absolutely an untruth, it is completely untrue," said President Higgins.
"Every single item has, in fact, been spent entirely in relation to the function of the presidency and to associate it with costs not provided otherwise in the vote."
Campaigning is continuing in the election ahead of polling day on October 26th and a Red C Opinion Poll has revealed who is leading the race.
Daniel McConnell writes, Michael D Higgins holds a near-unassailable lead in the race to be the country's next President, a new opinion poll reveals.
A Red C poll carried out for Paddy Power shows that support for Mr Higgins is running at 70%, more than double the combined support for all other candidates.
#BehindtheScenes at work with @PatKennyNT and @MichaelDHiggins @NewstalkFM this morning 🇮🇪🎙🙌 pic.twitter.com/w5R5gG4j62
— Jennifer Lawler (@jenryanlawler) October 12, 2018
The poll, based on a nationwide sample of 1,000 people over the age of 18, showed the next nearest contender is Sean Gallagher at 14%.
No other candidate has support of more than 6%.
The full results are as follows: Michael D. Higgins is on 70%; Sean Gallagher is on 14%; Joan Freeman is on 6%; Liadh Ní Riada is on 5%; Gavin Duffy is on 4% and Peter Casey is on 1%.
Michael D Higgins has 58% of Fianna Fáil voters, 78% of Fine Gael voters and 85% of Labour voters, 55% of Sinn Féin voters and 85% of Independent Candidate voters.
