Politicians, here as elsewhere, are engaged in an exercise of balancing self-interest with the interests of others, and balancing it also with the interest of the common good. In Ireland, as in many other modern democracies, the political focus is the battle for the ‘middle ground’ – for the support of that large section of the community which includes the people most likely to vote, the people most able to voice their demands, and the people most likely to be ‘floating voters’. Inevitably, parties shape their policies with this in mind. Given this fact, the concerns and needs of those who are most vulnerable, or who have little influence, or who for one reason or another do not use their voice or their vote can easily be overlooked. The task of bringing such groups into the mainstream of political concern is a central concern in any talk about social justice.

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