Candidates carrying too much baggage

OVER the past two decades President Mary McAleese and her predecessor Mary Robinson have fulfilled this office with dignity, initiative, diligence, honesty and integrity.

The bar has been raised and a challenging standard now set for the privileged person to replace them.

The real problem with the present campaign is the amount of baggage carried by all candidates. More and more revelations, many unwarranted, and nasty references, too, keep surfacing as each interview, debate or discussion forum progresses.