Two sites have popped up in the last few weeks doing things that ought really be done by the Oireachtas website, but probably never will be.
Here’s Mycandidate.ie, from the Rock the Vote people. It lets you see everyone who’s running in your constituency- something for which, believe it or not, there is no other source online.
And here, in for the long haul, is RatemyTD.com. This is an awe inspiring site, collecting up information on the expenses and Dáil contributions of every TD. It also lets you, as the name would suggest, rate your TD according to twenty odd criteria. Though I might think that the site will run into choppy water the day somebody decides to give their elected representative a 10 for Bribery.
And, if you’re not sure which of those candidates or parties to vote for, why not swing by TCD’s pickyourparty.ie. They’ve read all the positions papers of the parties, scored them on a 1-20 rating and then ask you to put yourself on the same scale. Then they tell you what your most compatible party is. Not entirely convinced by the micro-level results (my EU and immigration opinions are simultaneously closest to Sinn Feinn and the PDs, it seems) but the end recommendation does tend to reflect my outlook.