Aras an Uachtarain could receive millions of virtual visitors if Prof Mary McAleese is successful in her presidential bid.The FF/PD candidate yesterday said she wanted to establish a special interactive website for the Presidency. On Monday Prof McAleese participated in an interactive exchange on the Irish Times presidential website (www.irishtimes.com/presidential/)
"I would like to put in place a website that would act as a global looking-glass on Ireland," she said. The Internet site would give Irish people at home and abroad a direct access point to Aras an Uachtarain. It would "provide a place for Irish people to relate their stories and in turn to have those stories listened to," she said.
"Additionally, the very existence of such a site would serve to emphasise Ireland's growing role as a centre for excellence in the software industry," she added.
It is the first time that a presidential campaign will be fought in cyberspace, with all five candidates establishing sites on the World Wide Web.
The McAleese campaign website can be contacted at http:// www.iol.ie//fiannafail
Ms Adi Roche's website is at http://www.adi-roche.ie
Ms Mary Banotti is at http:// www.banotti.ie
Both Dana and Mr Derek Nally hope to have websites operating shortly.