There is a case for the upper house, with its limited oversight powers, to supply different views

Different views that come from a small sub-set of the people why are the views of trinity graduates in more need of a voice of the views of the unemployed. And I seriously beg to differ that not wanting to get rid of the democratic deficit is a reason not to vote for someone. It is the bloody biggest reason not to vote for someone. Democracy is by the people not some of the people. Anyone who does not believe that very basic of principles will not get my vote.

Are we the only EU country to still not give citizens equal voting rights?

Lower-case simon: There is a case for the upper house, with its limited oversight powers, to supply different views. If you had a full Dail-style election, you would simply get the same thing twice. If the value of different voices to reflect a pluralistic society is accepted, then the argument simply becomes over which under represented groups should form the panels. A reasonable argument, but hardly a reason not to vote.

His manifesto is bland to the point of being nonsensical. There is 0 mention of his role in the Shell to Sea campaign, clearly because of fear that it might put off the more conservative voters. But if he isn’t honest enough to include his role in one of the most significant national campaigns in recent years then I’d start to get worried.

Shell won’t be sent to sea, or anywhere else for that matter, by an elitist group of voters (myself included) choosing a candidate for an ineffective upper house of parliament. There are far more critical issues for that campaign to deal with.

Furthermore I am very wary indeed of candidates who come up with blasé lines such as the “need to challenge orthodoxies of both left and right.” Of course we need to challenege orthodoxies. But another centrist, soft Senator is hardly going to forge a New Republic.

As a first time elector I am wholly unimpressed with the entire procedure, even given that I was aware of the whole nonsense of having a vote in the first place. I still haven’t decided whether I’ll spoil my vote or not; if progressive candidates promise and set out a plan to use their position to replace Article 18 of Bunreacht na hÉireann with an entirely new and democratic Seanad – or none at all – maybe I’ll consider them. If not, I don’t see why I should play a role in maintaining this farcical endeavour.