THE President, Mrs Robinson, has reiterated she is not a candidate for the position of United Nations secretary general, which becomes vacant in December.
Mrs Robinson, who visited Belfast yesterday, said she was committed to finishing her term as President.
It had been reported that a coalition of Irish American politicians was lobbying for her to succeed Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali in the UN.
"It was a great honour to be elected President of Ireland," she said. "I have still quite a length of office to work out. I am not a candidate. I have indicated that I don't wish to be considered a candidate. I don't think I can do any more about it."
Mrs Robinson had three engagements in Belfast yesterday. She attended a disability conference in the Europa Hotel, addressed a Rotary Club lunch and then visited the Bawnmore estate in the north of the city to launch a development plan by Greencastle Women's Group.
Mrs Robinson was welcomed in Bawnmore by the Ulster Unionist Lord Mayor of Newtownabbey, Mr Andy Beattie. He described her as "a wonderful woman".
The President said she was uplifted by the determination of people in the North not to abandon hope despite the breach of the IRA ceasefire, and to hold onto the sense of normality. She added that the ceasefires had opened up the North to many from the Republic.
She said the peace process had marked a new era but she recognised the "frustration, impatiences, and difficulties" of seeing a way forward.