As an adviser, one is behind the scenes. As a TD, one participates fully in democracy. Martin Mansergh explains why he is running for the Dáil
A few weeks ago I was made aware that many people in west Tipperary wanted me to run for the Dáil, and that people central to the Fianna Fáil organisation in Tipperary South were willing to back me.
I made my own inquiries and, having taken further soundings in different parts of the constituency, decided to put my name before the selection convention.
I was nominated by six units of the organisation, but first and foremost by the Dan Breen Cumann in Tipperary town, which I first joined in 1981.
Tipperary South is a three-seat constituency, with the Minister of State at Agriculture, Noel Davern, the only TD at the last general election; the other two TDs, Tom Hayes of Fine Gael and Seamus Healy (Independent) being returned at the unprecedented succession of by-elections in 2000 and 2001 caused by the deaths of Michael Ferris of Labour and Theresa Ahearn of Fine Gael.
When it was a four-seater, the constituency normally returned two Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, one Labour. Since becoming a three-seater, it has returned one Fianna Fáil TD, whereas Tipperary North, another three-seater, represented by Michael Smith and Michael O'Kennedy, has more often than not returned two, and vitally contributed to the formation of Fianna Fáil-led governments.
At the first by-election it was believed to begin with, at the peak of the economic boom and with favourable national opinion polls, that it might be possible to win a second seat. The by-election fought by Cllr Barry O'Brien was heavily overshadowed by the O'Flaherty affair.
While the party's performance improved, when Cllr Michael Maguire, who had done well in the last general election, stood again, the seat was not within reach.
In by-elections the issue tends to be an interim judgment on government performance, with a shot across the bows rather than a pat on the back much preferred by the electorate.
Galway East in 1982 was the last time any government won a by-election.
The issue in a general election is the choice of a government for the next five years, and while it is true that no government has been returned in over 20 years in the precise form in which it went out (a pattern that could now change), Fianna Fáil under Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds headed four administrations between 1987 and 1994, minority government, coalitions with the PDs and coalition with Labour.
Also, at a general election the main vote-getter, Noel Davern, a long-serving TD, returns to the fray.
Fianna Fáil had three choices approaching this general election: to run a one-candidate strategy, which might appear defeatist and which would carry an added risk under a successor of an erosion of support, to the point where the one seat might eventually be in danger; to rerun one of the two previous by-election candidates (while Michael Maguire considered that he had done his duty in that regard, Barry O'Brien went forward to Convention); or to try something different, which is where I come in.
My contribution to Irish political life, going back 20 years, has been in a research and advisory capacity, working to Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern on the main issues of the day, political, economic, European and especially since 1988 the Northern Ireland peace process.
But I retain an abiding interest in Tipperary, where I have a farm with my brother, Nicholas. I have always been willing to take up issues, where government assistance or advice was needed, and where my help was sought.
Even being mooted as a candidate has resulted in approaches from local organisations with urgent problems to make representations on their behalf.
There is undoubtedly great satisfaction to be had from helping a neighbour or local community, in an area where your family has lived for generations, and seeing projects in which you have played some role coming to fruition.
I share a strong ambition to see Tipperary flourish and play an enhanced role in national life, something it did spectacularly in the century up to independence. Under our electoral system there is a temptation to allow one's horizons to narrow. My philosophy is a simple one: contribute nationally, benefit locally.
Tipperary has many strengths and assets as a county, of which more advantage should be taken nationally; but certain parts, Tipperary town and Carrick-on-Suir being singled out for a boost in the RAPID initiative, have not fully kept pace with the general advance.
Why would any adviser, working closely with the Taoiseach and exercising some worthwhile influence, want to seek election? My answer would be that the primary weight of responsibility in a democracy very properly belongs to the elected representative and Oireachtas member.
The adviser has only a delegated role, the legitimacy of which has to be covered by elected authority.
Fianna Fáil has never practised the development of a satrapy of unelected power around the party leader, and my standing for election is one way of underlining the primacy of the elected representative.
While I have made contributions from time to time to public debate, with the encouragement of the Taoiseach, my participation has been self-limited by a serious responsibility to complement but not to cut across the primary role of elected decision-makers.
The invisible role required for some of the earlier stages of the peace process is no longer necessary, and the advocacy role, which lengthy involvement in it has equipped me for, fits better with a representative capacity, and I would look forward to making a further contribution publicly.
Having been involved in background work on all the European referendums since 1987, I also want to help make the case for Ireland to stay at the centre of European decision-making, rather than opt for the sidelines, where states are more takers rather than makers of vital decisions. In summary,
I believe I have some qualification for a public role, in which I could also be of benefit to my own county.
Dr Martin Mansergh is the Taoiseach's special adviser on Northern Ireland