ANALYSIS: Issues have changed little in 20 years as voter apathy still dominates in a marginalised part of Dublin Mid West. Kitty Holland gets the verdict of the local 'voters'
There's "no way" Gus Reilly (54) will vote on May 17th.
Strolling back to his house on Harelawn Avenue, Neilstown, west Tallaght, he's typical of most of his neighbours.
The area, a wilderness of local authority housing in north Clondalkin, less than 10 miles from Dublin city-centre, is recognised as one of the most socially- neglected in the State. It is also expected to have one of the lowest voter turnouts in the State on Friday week.
Following boundary changes, it is now part of Dublin Mid West. It was part of Dublin South West in 1997, which, with a turnout of 55.9 per cent, recorded the lowest of all constituencies in the State. The national average was 66.7 per cent.
In his study of voter turnout, Adrian Kavanagh, of the department of geography at NUI Maynooth, found north Clondalkin to had the lowest turnout within the constituency.
"And if I was to put money on which area will have the lowest in the country in this election, it would probably be north Clondalkin," he said.
Mr Reilly has "voted only once in my life before - when I was young and idealistic. What's the point? They're only interested in lining their own pockets."
Asked about the argument that the only way he might influence change was through voting, he is unimpressed. "Look, no matter what you or I say they have their own ideas about how to do things. And the kind of people who would represent me wouldn't get in. So, I ask you again, what's the point?"
Sitting on a the garden wall around the corner is Gillian Clarke (20). She's not sure when the election is.
"I just got a card in the door there telling me I had a vote. God, I don't know who I'd vote for. I'm not interested in politics - it has nothing to do with me. I don't think any of my friends vote."
Thomas Emmet (19) expressed no excitement at the prospect of his first vote. "It never crossed my mind," he says, crossing the green from Harelawn to the shops at Rowlagh.
Crossing the green, one of the most noticeable features to anyone who has just come from the city-centre is the almost total absence of election posters. Though a few are clustered at the shops.
In Carroll's newsagent no one talks about the election, says Anne Malone, who serves behind the counter.
Most residents asked could not remember the last time a candidate had called to their home canvassing for their vote.
And among those that did intend voting there was a sense that this was despite the fact that "it's probably useless and anything we've got in this area we've had to get out and fight and fight and fight for it".
Linda Reilly, a member of the St Mark's Residents Association, said she would vote for Fianna Fáil as "the best of a bad bunch". However, she added that in the three years she has been in the association numerous local council officials have visited "but all we've ever got was a little wall at the back of the estate, after everything they promised to do".
Quality of life has improved in the area over the past three years, says Andy Lane, a community worker with the North Clondalkin Community Development Partnership. "But there is no doubt it remains a marginalised, disadvantaged community."
Relying on the 1996 census figures, he estimates some 31 per cent of the local population is aged 15 to 24, with 46 per cent in the 25 to 44 age group, compared with 18 and 30 per cent nationally.
He says these young people are more likely to be in work than six years ago, but they are "in low- level, service-type jobs which will be the first to go in a downturn so they are vulnerable".
The young are also the least likely to vote, thus pulling down turnout figures. This means, he says, "you have a situation where anyone elected for this area can do so without taking on the issues in this particular area. "So you get a sense among people that politicians don't take any interest in them; so people are further alienated from 'big politics'."
It's not as if there aren't issues that concern people, he adds.
"The main ones are certainly drugs, anti-social behaviour - late- night drinking and 'joyriding' - and better facilities for young people.
"Yes, the same ones as 20 years ago."