Free Sky TV, new dentures, and rogue fortune tellers: The bizarre requests made of election candidates

From requests to find a wife to ending a drink-driving ban, this year's general election candidates reveal the weird and whacky requests they have received over their years in politics

'An elderly gentleman called to see me in the office. He thought he had lost his dentures in UHW [University Hospital Waterford] and wanted me to find them or get him a new set.'

Replacement dentures, sanctions for a rogue fortune teller, and free Sky Sports TV — these are just some of the weird and whacky requests made of this year’s election hopefuls.

The public’s most outlandish asks have failed to put a dampener on the current crop of candidates' political ambitions. They have, at times, even proved amusing.

So says TD Mick Barry (People Before Profit-Solidarity alliance), who is running in the Cork North-Central constituency. He highlighted one particularly strange request from a disgruntled constituent.

“I had a guy who wanted me to advise him on how to make an official complaint because he had gone to a fortune teller and the fortune teller’s predictions had not come true. I’m not sure what he wanted. He figured that if this guy’s predictions weren’t coming true then he shouldn’t be in fortune telling. It wasn’t clear whether he wanted to make sure the fortune teller never worked again or he just wanted to get his money back. It takes all kinds to make a world I suppose.”

Fine Gael candidate for Cork North-West Cllr John Paul O’Shea has had his own fair share of odd propositions, more recently while out canvassing.

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After being questioned about their most pressing issues, one homeowner didn’t hold back, telling Mr O’Shea he would get his vote in exchange for “free Sky”. 

What he really wanted was the sports channels and he wanted to get them free. He didn’t want to get them illegally. His hope was that I would ring up Sky myself and use my powers of persuasion to try to blag him some free channels. 

"Of course, this wasn’t possible so I promised I would have the information sent out to him. At least that way he’d be able to see the price range and get a reasonable package. I was able to organise that much for him at least.” 

'I had a guy who wanted me to advise him on how to make an official complaint because he had gone to a fortune teller and the fortune teller’s predictions had not come true.'

Independent TD Verona Murphy, who is running in the Wexford constituency, never imagined her job description might also include tooth fairy.

“An elderly gentleman called to see me in the office. He thought he had lost his dentures in UHW [University Hospital Waterford] and wanted me to find them or get him a new set. He hadn’t called to his dentist, nor would he as “if anyone can find them Verona can!” Luckily, the man had a favourable outcome.

“We made representation to the HSE to get a new set of dentures approved. A local dentist then obliged. All’s well that ends well.” 

Cllr William O’Leary is running as an Independent candidate in the general election for Cork East. He has also received entertaining calls from constituents, with all manner of requests.

Matchmaking request

"There was one man who rang me asking if I could make contact with a single woman we knew on his behalf. He wanted me to put in a good word for him. I’m shy myself, never mind him. The reality is that people are lonely. These people certainly aren’t on dating apps."

Another constituent hoped the councillor could put an end to his drink-driving ban.

Cllr William O’Leary, who is running as an Independent candidate in the general election for Cork East, was asked by a constituent to end his drink-driving ban. File picture: Collins

“This person had a couple of years of the ban under his belt and he wanted the last year cut short. What can you do besides tell them that you’re not the law? Thirty years ago, politicians would have been able to do things like that so that mentality is still with some people. 

"I explained in no uncertain terms that this was not my place or my role and that he needed to speak to his solicitor. If you are in politics — whether it’s at a local or national level — people think you are everything. 

They think you are a solicitor, medical officer, social welfare officer and engineer. You are supposed to be all things to all people but in reality you are none of the above. You can only try to represent people as best you can. 

Fine Gael’s Úna McCarthy, running in Cork South-Central, will never forget a phone call she received on the day of her daughter’s Confirmation.

“It was from a man who was preparing to sit his driver theory test for the fourth time. He didn’t understand the questions and wanted me to go through them with him on the morning of the test. The test was in Monaghan. This is the level of service people have come to expect. 

"Although he was very nice about it there was no way I would have been able to travel that far so I pointed him in the direction of his own local councillor. He rang me again after the test to tell me that he had failed and he hoped that I could help him next time.” 

3.15am phone call

Sinn Féin's Cork East general election candidate Pat Buckley says he loves hearing from constituents — just not at 3.15am.

“One fella called me from his hospital bed saying that he wanted to chat because he was bored,” he told the Irish Examiner. “There were a few choice words from my side. 

"Someone else knocked on the door of my house on a Sunday morning of a bank holiday weekend about a planning application.” 

Cork North Central general election candidate Cllr Tony Fitzgerald (Fianna Fáil) has also been on the receiving end of late-night calls.

“I got a phone call at 2am from two men having a fireside chat,” the councillor said. 

“They were having a disagreement and needed to know the year a TD in Limerick had died. These lads wouldn’t be into Google. I thought there had been an accident. Once I got over the fact that there wasn’t, I pointed out that it was 2am. They didn’t seem too taken aback.” 

Councillor and Labour general election candidate for Limerick City Conor Sheehan says he has come to the rescue of countless constituents.

'A guy asked me to mow his lawn'

“A guy asked me to mow his lawn,” he said. “He was around 90 years of age. I could see him struggling so I had no problem doing it. 

"Someone else asked me if I would dress up as Santa for a community event after their original Santa cancelled. It was during covid and I had to wear a mask underneath the big beard.” 

Kerry-based Michael Healy-Rae (Independent) told the Irish Examiner: 

There’s one man who has told me that I’ll get his vote if I find him a wife. I’ll have to try anyway. 

Mallow-based councillor and secondary school teacher Eoghan Kenny is running for Labour in the Cork North Central constituency.

'I had a call at 2am during the school holidays from someone complaining about a pothole. It was only when I returned back to work that I learned that this wasn’t an adult concerned about a pothole, but a group of my students ringing from a sleepover.'

“I had a call at 2am during the school holidays from someone complaining about a pothole. It was only when I returned back to work that I learned that this wasn’t an adult concerned about a pothole, but a group of my students ringing from a sleepover. 

"Like most public representatives my number is online so this was how they caught me out. They were extremely convincing because I wasn’t even teaching in Mallow and they knew the name of the main street. I thought it was a good joke to be honest. You have to be able to take these things well.” 

Fine Gael councillor Garret Kelleher (Cork North-Central) was asked to provide technical support to one frustrated local.

“He had all the other channels but couldn’t get RTÉ One and RTÉ Two. He wanted me to resolve the problem but I was no good to them.” 

Limerick county councillor Bridie Collins (FF) says while some requests are bizarre they can also be heartbreaking.

“I had a man asked me to fix his mobile phone. When I met him at the shop he handed me a television remote. He must have suffered from dementia. That really struck me. You have to be human about it. The man was struggling and it didn’t cost me anything to help.” 

Labour candidate for Cork South-West Evie Nevin recalls one opportunist.

“I still remember getting a message from a man who got my phone number online. He asked me if I wanted to go for a drink with him. He was contacting me even though he probably knew I was a married woman. I would have declined either way.”