They call it the "Flynn factor" in Mayo and it has emerged in full strength during this local election campaign. When the constituency's first woman TD, Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn, planted a smackeroo on her party leader's cheek in Ballinrobe last month, the only person taken aback by it was the Taoiseach himself.
Yes, she may have lost the party whip several months back after voting against the Government in defence of her EU Commissioner father. But making up is easy when there is political business to be done.
However, the temperature heightened last month when Castlebar-based Fine Gael candidate Mr Eoin Garavan called on Commissioner Flynn to come clean before June 11th regarding the allegations by the developer Mr Tom Gilmartin.
In the same week it was noted that Ms Cooper-Flynn and her rival, Mr Iarla Duffy, a member of Fianna Fail's national executive, had stolen a march on their colleagues in the battle for seats on Mayo County Council. Both candidates published their own election literature, with Ms Flynn's four-page newsletter recording her influence on just about everything that moves in Castlebar.
If it reflects Fianna Fail's lack of team spirit in the area, Fine Gael must be hoping that the Mayo election will pass without too much attention being paid to sitting Swinford council member Mr John Martin Flannery.
Mr Flannery came to national prominence last year with his remarks about the Travelling community at a Western Health Board meeting. He was acquitted in the first case to be taken under the Incitement to Hatred Act. Having condemned his initial comments, the party's national executive was under pressure not to ratify him, but did so after the court cleared his name. There are those who say that the publicity will have done him no harm at all.
The county council is losing seven councillors under the "scrappage" scheme, including Fianna Fail's Martin J. O'Toole, who is stepping down after 43 years, and Mr P.J. Morley.
Among the urban district councils, seven of Ballina's nine representatives are not running again, two are retiring in Westport (including Mr Michael Ring TD, who will concentrate on the county council only) and two in Castlebar.
On the county council, Fianna Fail holds the largest block of 15 seats, closely followed by Fine Gael with 13. It is expected that there will be little change.
There are 57 candidates for the 31 seats, including newcomer Mr Michael Holmes, prominent in the IFA and standing as an independent.
Mr Tony Mullarkey, a sheep farmer and wool merchant, also concerned with agricultural issues, is also running as an independent.
Sinn Fein's candidate in Castlebar, Mr John Clarke, has noted apathy among young voters, quoting research by the National Youth Council that up to 2,000 of them are not on the constituency register.
Jobs, housing, waste management, Mayo's role in gas exploration off Achill, a deepwater port for Killala and the need to upgrade Knock airport are some of the issues that have emerged in the last few weeks.
Castlebar and Westport may be booming but there are pockets, particularly in the north of the county, where emigration still seems to be the only option.
Some recent job losses include the closure of TJT Manufacturing Ltd in Kiltimagh, where 85 were employed, the loss of almost 100 jobs at the Allfresh Bakery in Charlestown, 100 jobs at Farah in Ballyhaunis, 30 at Betatherm in Ballinrobe, and the uncertainty over the Glanbia meat plants in Ballyhaunis and Ballaghaderreen, which are now involved in a take-over by Dawn Meats.
Small wonder that the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, and the IDA were eager to generate as much publicity as possible for the recent announcement of some 400 jobs in Castlebar.
In another timed announcement it was confirmed that Kiltimagh is to become a centre for third-level education, with courses in rural development under the auspices of NUI Galway due to begin in September. Biological Laboratories in Glenamoy in the Erris Gaeltacht is planning a £1.4 million expansion.
Unfortunately for those local representatives running in the Ballina area, Coca-Cola's plans for its £150 million concentrate plant are not as advanced as they might have hoped at this time.
Both Ballina and Castlebar are due to be granted boundary extensions well beyond their administrative areas. But the priority attached to such changes may well recede after these elections are over.
