Paul Hosford: In search of election enthusiasm

There isn't a massive amount of public attention focused on what are important elections. Why is that?

Taoiseach Simon Harris with candidates Nina Carberry, Regina Doherty, and Sean Kelly at the launch of Fine Gael's European and Local Election manifestos at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, Le Pole Square, Picture: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

We're into the home stretch, now. Just days until the country goes to the polls to decide a total of 964 public representatives.

In total, we will see 949 councillors, 14 MEPs and one Mayor of Limerick elected and it's all that anyone can talk about.

Across the country, children are trading stickers of candidates in the school yard, with principals across the 26 counties having to break up numerous fights about whether three councillors is worth one sitting MEP. The Walkinstown roundabout awaits joyous scenes next Saturday as the nation is gripped by election fever.

Of course, I don't need to tell you any of this, you feel it around you. The bunting, the anticipation. The nation holds its breath.

Or maybe that's just the election delirium setting in.

In truth, there isn't a massive amount of public attention focused on what are important elections both on a national and continental level. Why is that?

Speaking to politicians over the few last weeks, there are a number of reasons suggested, all probably somewhat true.

 There is a sense among some that the public interest will pick up in the next few days when voting becomes a more tangible reality — people have better things to do than obsess over the kinds of things that those of us in the Leinster House bubble do — but there has yet to be a single defining issue for the public to latch onto, either.

That's not to say that this week has been without interest.

Early in the week, a Fine Gael candidate withdrew from the race, even though that's not technically possible. It came after The Ditch website on Monday published a story which claimed that first-time candidate in Louth Marian Agrios was paid €15,000 by a developer who also carried out €15,000 worth of work at her home to withdraw a planning objection to the building of new homes.

Fine Gael confirmed it would begin the process of taking down Ms Agrios's posters and asked the public not to vote for her, though her name will still be on the ballot.

Unfocused debate

On the European stage, there were debates, but broadcast debates are proving to be even messier and less focused than even in 2019. 

This is largely unavoidable as the fields — 23 in Ireland South and Dublin and 27 in Midlands North-West — are too large to deliver both a debate that's easily followed and entertaining. The attempts by broadcasters to balance the two have led to unfocused debates that tend to see candidates hone in on their own bête noir at a podium opposite.

Of course, the debates haven't been helped by the fact that many candidates seem to have a loose grasp of just what an MEP or councillor can and can't do. No councillor, for example, can unilaterally protect Ireland's neutrality and no MEP can opt Ireland out of the Migration Pact on their own.

On the doorsteps, politicians all swear they're being warmly received, but what is also universal is that they all agree there is no single issue that the public is offering as a voting matter. 

Immigration is there, they say, but in a much calmer way than is seen online. Housing and health remain perennials. And locally transport and traffic are on the top of many list.

So it's what you might call "bitty". There is a lot to pay attention to, but nothing monopolising eyes and ears. 

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Who that suits is really down to how you view things. Some argue it suits the parties who hold seats, because turnout could be similar to the 50% or so seen in 2019. But others argue that challengers will be buoyed by a lack of enthusiasm for the status quo.

At this point, however, the public attention feels strangely adrift from a trio of elections. All to play for? The game may not have even started.