Presidential diaries: the first 100 days

Mary Robinson had almost twice as many engagements as the President, Mrs McAleese, in her first 100 days in office, according to an examination of the public diaries of both presidents. When President McAleese celebrated her 100th-day anniversary recently, her public diary contained about 120 functions including dinners, luncheons, awards ceremonies and concerts.

Mrs Robinson had performed more than 200 public engagements during her first 100 days as president. In that time, she had completed 45 engagements relating to the socially excluded or support services in the community. Many were initiated by her as opposed to responding to invitations and included visits to women's action groups, travellers and senior citizens, and the inauguration of the Breast Cancer Research Institute. Her first official engagement was at a seminar on homelessness.

President McAleese's public diary showed she had 15 similar engagements ranging from a visit to an AIDS support group in Galway to the annual party for the homeless in Dublin.

Following recent controversy regarding President McAleese's schedule, she disclosed that she kept both a public and private diary. Sources in the Aras say her private diary contains almost as many engagements as the public one. It is understood, however, that up to 90 per cent of those appointments concern behind-the-scenes administration or genuinely private, personal matters. The rest of the private diary include events which could be included in the public diary; several were meetings with school children at the Aras.

Indeed, much of President McAleese's first 100 days showed a considerable commitment to youth. Several of her 100 public appointments were spent receiving or visiting students and young people. Mrs Robinson had 20 engagements with youth groups and students during this time.

According to their public diaries, the presidents attended a similar number of religious services and other related functions during their first 100 days. For Mrs McAleese, these included two carol services, a service held by the Society of Friends, a reception by the Jewish community and the Knights of Columbanus annual Christmas dinner.

Among others, Mrs Robinson attended a folk Mass in Rathmines, a service to mark Women's World Day of Prayer and a prayer service for peace in the Gulf. She also received the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, twice during this time.

President McAleese had a musically orientated first 100 days, attending concerts at the NCH six times. Six other public engagements centred on the arts, including the publication of her book and the film premiere of The Boxer. Mrs Robinson also displayed an interest in the arts - she had about 15 related engagements - receiving prominent figures such as Edna O'Brien at the Aras and attending the opening night of Marina Carr's This Love Thing.

The former president was not as fortunate when it came to sporting events. She managed to get to only one rugby match, between Ireland and France. President McAleese has attended three, watching New Zealand, Canada and three weeks ago, Scotland, in action against the national team.

Both presidents performed a similar amount of State business receiving diplomatic delegations from all over the world. Mrs Robinson also hosted a dinner for the government of the day and a reception for members of the Oireachtas and their partners.

Where the two women's public diaries showed a marked difference was in the area of media and interviews. In her first 100 days, Mrs Robinson completed 15 interviews with magazines, radio and TV stations across the world. President McAleese's public diary for her first 100 days featured just one media appointment, with the RTE Guide. It is understood her private diary lists other such engagements, but these remain undisclosed.