THE President, Mrs Robinson, will decide later this month whether to seek a second term as President as sources at the UN say she could become the front-runner for the top United Nations human rights post.
If she put forward her candidacy she would be the front-runner," says one source at UN headquarters in New York. "There are no high-flying candidates emerging so far."
The post unexpectedly became available two weeks ago when the present incumbent, Mr Jose Ayalo Lasso, returned to Equador to become its foreign minister.
Mrs Robinson will decide on her future "between St Patrick's Day and Easter", according to a source close to her. She is currently in Rwanda and will return from a visit to Rome on March 10th. After that she will make up her mind quickly.
To be considered for the UN post Mrs Robinson would have to let it be known that she was interested and the Government would then have to lobby on her behalf. Government sources say a major diplomatic effort would be made on her behalf should she seek the post. There has been no contact yet between the Government and the President on the issue, according to Government and Aras sources.
"She will have to choose," according to one diplomat. "She can't get the job if she doesn't go for it. But if she goes for it there is always a risk that she won't get it, but will have undermined any prospect of going for a second presidential term."
Mrs Robinson's high international profile, her background as a human rights lawyer and the respect with which she is held in developing countries are regarded as the key assets she would have in seeking the post. According to UN sources, Mrs Robinson would be broadly acceptable to most UN member-states. "She is a westerner without the baggage of a westerner," said one source.
"Any western candidate will upset developing countries," said another source, "but the High Commission for Human Rights is driven by western countries. The G 77 [group of developing countries] tolerate it rather than approve of it."
The fact that the first occupant of the post, Mr Ayalo Lasso, was not a westerner increases the chances of it going to one this time, as does the fact that the Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, is from a developing country (Ghana).
Mr Ayalo Lasso's deputy, Mr Ibrahima Fall of Senegal, is about to move to New York as an assistant secretary general. He could conceivably return to Geneva to take up the human rights post.
But there has been western criticism of him and Mr Ayalo Lasso for not taking a robust enough stance on human rights abuses. "Ayalo Lasso was criticised for being too hands-off in dealing with human rights abuses," said one British source, "but some people might think your President might be too robust."
Ireland has increased its profile on human rights issues in the past year. It has just been elected to a seat on the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, while a special human rights unit has been established within the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The appointment procedure for this post is a simple one compared to the labyrinthine one for Secretary General, A nomination is put forward by the Secretary General for approval by the UN General Assembly. "Any nomination put forward by Mr Annan would get a free ride," according to the source.