Aras an Uachtarain will be open to the public for a set time every week if the Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats candidate, Prof Mary McAleese, wins the presidential election. In a major speech last night in Cork, Prof McAleese outlined several things she would do if elected on October 30th and signalled to the Government that she believes the Constitution should be changed to allow people under 35 to contest the Presidency.
Her speech also sought to take command of the post-Robinson presidential landscape.
"Ultimately what people must decide in this election is which candidate has the right balance of skills [her emphasis] to hold the highest office in the land. The life experience of the successful candidate must be sufficiently wide and varied to allow for a president that understands the complexity of modern Ireland."
In a speech to supporters, Prof McAleese said she wanted an open presidency involving all people. The Aras and its grounds "should be a tourism and educational facility," she said.
Staking her claim to be the natural successor to Mrs Robinson, Prof McAleese said she wanted to be the representative of the Irish abroad, the "forgotton Irish," she called them.
As regards her own post-Robinson agenda, Prof McAleese said that while campaigning she had been struck by the "explosion of enterprise and creativity in our country".
"The president has an important ambassadorial role, and I would hope to use this role to blaze a trail for Irish enterprise abroad and in doing so complement, in a symbolic way, the excellent work being carried out by our State agencies."
Prof McAleese also promised that, if elected, she would visit every location where members of the Defence Forces or Garda Siochana were stationed on UN peacekeeping duties.
Roche campaigns in the south- east; Dana answers questions on the Irish Times website: page 7
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