Voting independent will give us a break from the party whip system

As I write we don’t know the date of the election. Still, the media are full of candidates’ names and, based on these, pundits are forecasting ‘results’ in different constituencies.

A common mantra underlying the forecasts is that stable government is a necessity for every democracy.

Stable government — when examined — means the use of the party whip to ensure that TDs vote in line with party orders, often against their own consciences.