AS with every general election, this is an important day and one on which every person with an entitlement to vote in Ireland should exercise that right. There are very many premises which will be used by those going to the polls and on which they will base their decision about which party or individual to support.

It is clear that the political landscape is changing, not only in Ireland but globally. Polls have become unreliable predictors of outcomes, as we have seen in a number of cases in recent years. What matters is what happens today when you and your fellow citizens make your decision in the privacy of the polling booth.