Integrity of candidates essential

NEXT year’s local and European elections are being billed as a crucial benchmarking by the electorate on the performance of the Government.

The coalition parties, and especially Fianna Fáil, can expect little solace from what will undoubtedly be a scathing appraisal by very disenchanted voters.

Traditionally, a local election is an occasion when party loyalties are crossed, and in the one in prospect the defections from Fianna Fáil are a matter of speculative degree.