THE President, Mrs Robinson, is expected to announce between St Patrick's Day and Easter whether or not she intends seeking a second term. Next week she goes to Rwanda and the following week she will make a State visit to Italy.
The Taoiseach and the Council of State will be informed of her decision and there will be a public announcement. Mrs Robinson's seven-year term of office ends in December and she gave an undertaking to announce her future intentions during the first quarter of this year.
Since Christmas, Mrs Robinson has been looking at her options. Several jobs at the UN, such as Commissioner for Refugees or for Human Rights, are being proposed as possible positions for her should she decide not to seek re-election.
Mrs Robinson's five-day visit to Italy includes a trip to the Vatican. She will have a private meeting with the Pope and, more interestingly, she and her delegation will have discussions with the secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
On previous occasions when Irish heads of government such as John Bruton and Garret FitzGerald met such Vatican politicians the cardinal is akin to a prime minister they were given lectures on the special position of the Catholic church in Ireland. Will the clerics recognise that the President has no executive powers or will they, considering her position and past record on liberal issues, give her a belt of the crozier?
Some observers expect her to get a lecture on the dangers of the Education Bill, the Divorce Act, contraception, abortion information and other Vatican concerns.