Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am being completely independent about the matter. It is wrong for any group of people not to put a candidate in the field. It was different for the politicians of all persuasions long ago, when resources were limited and the tools at people's fingertips were not even a fraction of those that are available today. People went out and made the effort. They went out on bicycles to canvass. They held open rallies. People walked for miles and miles to listen to their chosen candidate or to someone from the party to which they were affiliated. Thousands of people in towns and villages came out and heard inspiring speeches. The people were inspired by the candidates. In those times, they used to fight over their politics. They would fight their corners and debate matters in every sense. It was great in a way because it showed that they were interested and committed. On polling day, they could not wait to vote. Regardless of whatever jobs needed to be done, they put on their best clothes and headed to polling stations because they wanted to vote for their people. They believed they had a great day's work done when they had voted. Regardless of whether the preferred person won, lost or whatever, they had engaged with the system. I am thinking back to a time when people were unable to jump into a motor car and drive to a polling station. They had to go across country in bad weather wearing poor clothing in order to vote. Yet, they did it and they were proud and glad. When we think about voting, we should think about those people and be more interested in our democracy.

That is enough of my ranting for today. Those are my feelings on the matter. I would really appreciate any work Mr. Temple-Smithson could do in order to help instil that into people.