The next President should be free to speak on national issues such as Northern Ireland, Sen Joe O'Toole has told the Humbert Summer School in Ballina, Co Mayo.
In a separate development, the Fianna Fail director of elections at the last election, Mr P.J. Mara, endorsed the candidacy of Mr John Hume for President. Responding to a question from the floor, he said of all the declared or undeclared candidates, Mr Hume best embodied the qualities needed in an Irish President.
In his speech to the summer school, Sen O'Toole said nothing in the Constitution prevented the President from participating in national debates providing certain restraints were observed. He urged the public to read and interpret the Constitution, rather than to rely on the interpretations of lawyers, politicians or journalists.
"Since the foundation of the State until 1989, the ruling political parties have imposed the restraints of the three wise monkeys, `See Nothing, Do Nothing and Say Nothing', on the Irish Presidency," said Sen O'Toole.
"Mary Robinson has effectively seen off the first two monkeys in as much as she has been seen to see and do things. The next holder of the office must be prepared to push out the parameters much further and must be prepared to have a view and to articulate it."
It was "nothing short of ludicrous" that the President should have less authority or less influence on the formation of people's views and attitudes than a Minister. Just as Ministers were advised on what was appropriate to say, structures could be put in place to advise and guide the President on his or her public utterances.
"This is not to give the President a free rein. The Presidency is and must remain aloof from party politics. It would be inappropriate and unacceptable that the President should be publicly at odds with the government or making public utterances which are different to government policy.
"But it is also unacceptable that the President should be required to remain mute on the issues of the day. Northern Ireland is a good example of this. Why is it that every and any member of the government, Dail or Seanad, and every other opinion-former in the State, can offer a view on the fundamental aspects of the Northern scene but the President, elected by popular vote of all the people, must remain mute?"
He said the President, Mrs Robinson, had used TV images to great effect to communicate her concern for the marginalised in society. There was no reason why the President should not express "a passionate and personal view" on such matters. The President was the defender of the people's rights and his or her views were of some importance.
He asked how any government would feel threatened by publicly expressed presidential views on issues such as child abuse, the environment, human rights or the developing world. "On the other hand, it would be unacceptable for the President to put forward views on proposed or impending legislation.
"The difference lies in the clear constitutional role of the President in giving legislation the final seal of approval. The constitutional position is that the President's role in legislation comes after the Seanad and Dail have had their say, not before."
He added it was vital that the Presidency should not be "wrung back" from the people. "The people must be the major stakeholders in the Presidency."
Mr Mara said he supported Mr Hume for President because he best embodied two qualities he had earlier spoken about. These were "the capacity and willingness to welcome change and greet change, and also this ability to deal with the local communities".
"I have to say that of the candidates that are on offer as of now, that Hume for me would be the candidate that I would like to see coming through. That includes candidates from my own party, that includes candidates from Fine Gael, from the Labour Party and no party.
"That's my personal view. I happen to share David Andrews's view on this. I'm not going to go into all the reasons why. . .but of the people who have declared themselves, or whose supporters have spoken on their behalf, Hume's the best candidate on offer at present."