Sir, - The on-going saga of Mary McAleese and the leaked documents pinpoints a fundamental problem: a potential President from the North, no matter who he or she is, will always be a focus of contention. As it is unlikely that someone from the unionist tradition would seek the Presidency, it stands to reason that this person will come from the nationalist side. The unionists would see the election of such a person as, at best, unusual, and at worst, mischievous in the light of the possibility of a referendum on Articles 2 and 3. At this delicate juncture, it seems crazy to add this further complication to the already complicated situation that is the peace process. - Yours, etc.,
Cherrymount, Waterford.