Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the wonderful features of that election contest was that I made so many new friends, and I count Senator Ruane among them. In many ways, she reminds me of my grandmother, because she has the same pioneering spirit. I admire the work she is doing in respect of the drug task force in Tallaght and her new blog. I admire all the work she does.

Aideen and I have four kids. Eoghan, who is busy - allegedly - studying for his assignments in Dublin Business School, was my campaign manager in this election cycle, along with my youngest son, Rossa, who is a teenager, aged only 13. They worked really hard on the campaign videos. I noticed my speeches only attracted seven or eight viewers each day on the different platforms, and at least two of those were accounted for by me looking at myself. Anytime Leahy the dog appeared, though, we got many thousands of views-----