Migration issue draws limited appeal

You could view the Cavan-Monaghan election as an outright rejection of those who put migrants at the centre of their campaign, however a more nuanced approach may prove more enlightening.

Five of the 20 electoral candidates had migration focussed stances: Val Martin (Irish Freedom Party), Lester Gordon (Ind), Shane Mulligan (Liberty Republic), Mark Moore (National Party) and Feargal Deery (Ind).

Val Martin, whose posters howled to "End the migrant crisis" was the best performer, according to the initial tallies. The Kingscourt farmer got 1,249 first preferences - which is still less than a third of the vote obtained by the worst performing candidates from the main three parties. A number of them will be amongst the first candidates eliminated.

However if you combine the votes from these five candidates it comes to very nearly 3,000 first preferences.

Speaking to the Celt at today's count, Val Martin expressed frustration that the various parties and independents couldn't coalesce behind a single candidate.

"Other people decided to come in, in the elections some of them have something like 140 votes. We would have definitely asked them not to run. In other constituencies we stayed out where there were like minded candidates."

Many liberal minded voters would be uncomfortable with the position of Aontú and Independent Ireland on migration, however they didn't meet Val Martin's.

The Irish Freedom Party man suggested he had originally intended to not run and instead back Aontú, but rejected that as he "couldn't get them to categorically say that they were going to control migration".

He accused Independent Ireland of cynically using the issue to attract votes.

"Even Independent Ireland, who were not being straight about it, and were only using that to try to get votes, and if they got elected they wouldn't deliver."

He suggests that he was before his time, and believes that the "free for all" and "open borders" policies of today will have impacts on society in future.

"The day will come when the people who have voted here for the main parties, including Sinn Féin will see their own kids emigrate because they will not have a house or anything else. And then they will say, 'Maybe you were right Val'. My point is: I've made a stand here."

For the latest on the Cavan-Monaghan election, see our election blog.