Democracy and the right to choose how we govern ourselves is a precious right, and never one that should be taken for granted.
Today we can exercise that right to decide, or at least contribute to the decision on who will be charged with guiding us through the next five years.
To listen to the campaigns and the debates over the past three weeks could lead you to the belief that this is among the worst countries in the world, that we have nothing going for us and that the future is incredibly bleak.
Look around and hopefully you will see that this is not the case. There is so much that is great about living in Ireland and so much good that has been done to make that so.
And yet there are also, and always will be things that need changing. Our housing, our treatment at times of those who are different whether through colour, background physical or intellectual capacity can be changed and our vote today can be used to elect individuals that have put their hands up to try and fix them on all of our behalfs.
Anyone who chooses to put themselves up for election and to engage in public service deserves our respect, except in circumstances where their motivation might be hate rather than the common good.
It is easy to be the hurler on the ditch and to throw abuse at them ‘all being the same’ and a ‘useless shower of whatever you are having yourself.’
That is not the case. They are doing their best, in the main, in a complex society in which no one pair of us has exactly the same needs and wants.
We should examine the promises of the candidates and vote with conscience on who we feel might best represent our views on how to address our problems and maintain our rights to health, happiness and a society we want to be part of.
Don’t let this precious right to vote go to waste.
Our realm here is sport and while it will never be more than perhaps the most important of the least important things when it comes to Government that in itself has a place.
We have seen this week the immense value that sport brings to the country in terms of health, social capital and economic benefit through the GAA’s groundbreaking report.
We have witnessed a coordinated campaign of public affairs on behalf of football and the wider sporting base to persuade political parties and candidates to give some of their focus at least to our world.
Art the start of this week we published a guide to the promises made by each of the main parties standing for election.
We will revisit this once the water clears and we know which particular grouping will take power, and we will look to hold them to account for what they have promised.
Now though is the time to help decide what that grouping will be.
The best of luck to all candidates for election.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
