O'Rourke rules out bid for Presidency

Athlone's Deputy Mary O'Rourke has emphatically ruled out a tilt at the presidency. Despite being listed as fifth favourite at 14/1 by bookmakers Paddy Power. The Longford/Westmeath TD told the Westmeath Independent this week: "I am not interested because I do not like the protocol that goes with it. I don't like being told to stand here, stand there, say this, don't say that. That's not the way I lead my life and I would not like at this stage to start into that." She said in advance of Mary Robinson's decision to become the UN Commissioner for Human Rights in 1997 , there had been speculation linking her with a run for the presidency. However, at that stage too, she made clear she would not be interested and that remained the position. "I like my job right now as a back-bencher," she stressed. Current MEP Brian Crowley is the bookmakers' favourite at 3/1, with Bertie Ahern at 4/1. President Mary McAleese is due to step down in the autum of 2011 having served the maximum two consecutive seven-year terms.