McAleese waved in for second term

MARY McALEESE was yesterday elected unopposed for a second term as President following the failure of Dana Rosemary Scallon to secure backing for her nomination.

At the end of a week that saw a last-gasp effort by Ms Scallon to secure a nomination - raising grave questions about the fairness of the constitutional rules governing elections - the returning officer announced just after midday that President McAleese was the only candidate for Áras an Uachtaráin.

In her acceptance speech, President McAleese seemed to tacitly acknowledge the shortcomings of the system, saying she had been prepared for, and would have welcomed, an election.