Joe Higgins (53) led the way to the Dáil for the Socialist Party, which is fielding five candidates. The councillor, former seminarian and secondary school teacher, is originally from Kerry and was elected as a first-time TD in 1997. His seat is seen as safe and his contributions to the party fund will help the campaigns of his four party colleagues.
Mick Murphy (Dublin South West) is a 38-year-old senior engineer. A former student president at Cork Institute of Technology, he has been politically active for 20 years. He is a founder and national secretary of the Motor Insurance Justice Action Group.
Lisa Maher (Dublin South) is married to the party's Dublin South West candidate, Mick Murphy. The 45-year-old community activist works full-time in local politics as a community liaison officer and is secretary of the Campaign Against Refuse Charges.
Mick Barry (Cork North Central) is a founding party member. At 38, he has been active in left-wing politics for 20 years. A community activist, he was one of seven householders jailed last year after they deposited their bins at Cork City Hall, following the authority's refusal to collect bins from people who did not pay service charges.
Clare Daly (Dublin North) from Swords, is an Aer Lingus catering worker and a SIPTU shop steward. Aged 34, she is married with one child. The future of the airport is one of her key concerns. The party is "implacably opposed to privatisation". She says: "What is at stake is not the airport's future, but the type of jobs workers will have. The opening of competition is driving down workers' conditions."
