Marie O'Halloran reports on the main independents running in the general election
There are some 95 Independent candidates standing for election to the 29th Dáil and a further 43 candidates from the smaller organisations such as the Socialist and Christian Solidarity Parties.
Among them are the single-issue candidates, contestants standing in a number of constituencies and those with enough of a "bee in their bonnet" to get 30 people to back them in a nomination. If this Dáil is to be an era of Independents then there is an array of choice.
Cork South Central: Kathy Sinnott is the national example for many of the candidates running in the election. The campaigner for the rights of the disabled won a landmark case against the State for her autistic son Jamie in October 2000. A large number of candidates proclaimed her as the inspiration for their decision to contest the election
The publication of the Disability Bill was the "last straw" for her and she decided that someone had "got to get inside the decision-making force" because it was obvious the disabled had no voice in the Dáil.
"A prosperous nation is a nation in which people prosper," she has said. "I am not a protest candidate. I am a doer. I do not want to simply complain about the shabby treatment of people. I want to be on hand to insist that every law and policy is quality controlled for its impact on people."
Dublin Mid West: Michael O'Mara (47) is standing in the same constituency as the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, because of the cuts in the community employment schemes. From Clondalkin, he has been a community development worker for 20 years, and is extremely angry that the cuts were inflicted "on our area, with no consultation. The Tánaiste and FÁS are now passing the buck from one to the other, but they have not put in any alternatives at all." He was asked to stand and believes he will get "thousands" of votes.
This new constituency also has one of the election's youngest candidates in David Green (21). He is a single-issue candidate - motor insurance, particularly for young drivers. An IBM production operator, he brought an unsuccessful equality case over the price of his insurance. Now he is the candidate for MIJAG, the Motor Insurance Justice Action Group, with an enthusiastic following and an issue that has now been taken up by a number of other Independent candidates.
Mayo: Jerry Cowley, a Mulranny-based family doctor, is running in Mayo. He has spearheaded a campaign for emergency helicopters to move trauma patients speedily to hospital and has repeatedly raised the issue of the State's responsibility to Irish emigrants in Britain. His "Safe Home" programme has assisted 30 long-term emigrants to return to Ireland and has a waiting list of over 350.
He is recognised for his work in taking elderly people out of institutional care. He is chairman of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Independents like Tony Gregory.
Dún Laoghaire and Wicklow: Barbara Hyland (73) from Bray is standing in two constituencies. She has campaigned for the past 15 years for an ombudsman to investigate complaints against the legal profession. She says the Government has failed to follow its own policy to appoint an ombudsman. Her passion for the issue started when she sued the executors of her husband's will. The case eventually went to the Supreme Court but failed. In the 1987 general election, she stood in 13 constituencies and has contested every general election since on the same issue.
Sligo-Leitrim: Marian Harkin, a Sligo-based teacher, is a favourite to win a seat in this constituency. She built up a profile as chairwoman of the Council for the West lobby group and was narrowly beaten by Dana Rosemary Scallon for the third seat in the European elections in Connaght-Ulster.
Galway West: There will be a lot of interest in the performance of Dana Rosemary Scallon. The MEP has certainly "added to the mix" in the constituency. She alienated some of her supporters during the abortion referendum, but she still has a lot of support and nobody is ruling her out.
