The Queen of England should be required to pay for ‘bed and breakfast”  as a means of covering the cost associated with her state visit, it has been claimed.

As both the Irish and British government finalize the details of the Queen’s visit, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has been urged to ask the Royal Family to contribute to the financial cost.

The Fine Gael leader said that the full cost of the trip was not yet known.

Socialist TD, Joe Higgins suggested to the Irish Prime Minister during parliamentary talks that the queen should pay for food and board due to the state of Ireland’s ailing economy.

"In view of the fact that the Royal Family of Britain is one of the wealthiest families in the world and this country is almost sleeping rough, so to speak, figuratively, would you ask the Queen if she might make a contribution towards her own bed and breakfast costs to assist the unfortunate taxpayers, and go easier on them," Higgins said.

Speaking about the upcoming visit of Barack Obama, Higgins suggested that Barack Obama’s scheduled trip was merely an attempt to garner support from Irish-American voters for his re-election.

"Isn't it a bit rich really that the Irish taxpayer, as well as bailing out European speculators, must now make a contribution to the re-election campaign of the United States' president?" Higgins said.

End Kenny responded by saying that many countries would be honored to have a visit from two global figures in such a short space of time.

"I see that as an investment for business, for tourism, for the development of our economy and for the projection for Ireland as a country that has grown up, and that faces the future, has dealt with adversity in the past and will again in the future, and will be a better people," Kenny said.