Dull campaign with extraordinary parts to make for dolly mixture Dáil

There appears to be a certain overall illogicality at play here that simply defies explanation, writes Alison O’Connor

t has been a largely unexciting general election campaign, but that does not mean there have not been some extraordinary elements to it. The chief one is how difficult Fine Gaelers have made it for people to cast a vote for them.

The party knew entering this campaign that voters going to the polls with the intention of favouring a Fine Gael or Labour candidate would not be doing so with a song in their hearts. It was going to be what I have previously called a “cod liver oil vote”, where those giving them the stroke would do so while holding their nose.