Some 40 people will contest the local elections in Dublin as non-party candidates. Their occupations range from Moore Street trader to film producer, from national school teacher to homemaker. Six are women.
Of the 64 candidates contesting the elections to South Dublin County Council's 26 seats, 10 are Independent.
"The main issue in this area is the number of halting sites," says Mr Niall Murray (40) who is running for the first time. He was canvassing at the weekend in the Terenure/Rathfarnham ward. "We would like to see some of the other councils doing their bit." He also wants to see facilities for the young people in the area.
Also running for the first time is Mr Peter Greene (51), in the Clondalkin electoral area. He is campaigning for training facilities for the young, "to get them on the first step of the career ladder. There is no FAS centre nearby," he says.
Mr Gus O'Connell (58) is a sitting councillor, from the Lucan ward. His bugbear is that "there is too much rezoning". Another concern is "the rate at which housing development is happening without adequate provision of public transport and amenities." He topped the poll in 1991.
Mr Gerard Dolan, running in Terenure/Rathfarnham, has three proposals to alleviate "traffic gridlock" and campaigns on these - to provide mini-buses for each school to reduce the number of cars in the morning school-run, to put all buses in bus lanes and have gardai on point-duty throughout the city every morning and evening.
Also running in South Dublin are Mr Derek Keating (Lucan), Mr Ray Kelly (Tallaght Central), Ms Marie Hennessey (Tallaght South), Mr Colm McGrath (Clondalkin), Mr James O'Connor (Clondalkin) and Ms Sheila Donnelly (Terenure/Rathfarnham).
There are 132 candidates running for Dublin Corporation's city council, which has 52 seats. Nineteen are Independent.
For Mr Finian McGrath the most important issues are facilities and services for the disabled. He is campaigning against the Dublin Port Tunnel and the drugs crisis, in the Clontarf ward.
Mr Ernie Beggs, a street trader in Moore Street, resigned from Fianna Fail three weeks ago to run as an Independent candidate, saying the poverty he sees every day "is disgraceful". He is running in the North Inner City ward.
"I feel I could better represent the people of the inner city as an Independent," he says.
Mr Aidan Kennedy, running in the Donaghmede ward, is standing for the first time and is concerned at major changes in the area "when the people are without adequate representation". He will seek better facilities for the young.
Also running are Mr Austin McCoy and Mr Brian Sheehan (both Artane); Mr Vincent Ballyfermot Jackson and Ms Helen Doyle (Ballyfermot); Mr Dennis McIntyre (Clontarf); Mr Eddie Guyett (Donaghamede); Mr Billy Keegan (Finglas); Mr Martin Byrne, Mr Tony Gregory and Mr Thomas Prenderville (all North Inner City); Ms Catherine Cavendish and Mr Ian Murphy (Pembroke); Mr Gary Byrnes and Mr Mir Silkbeard Kulhavy (Rathmines) and Ms Martina Kenna and Mr Denis Murphy (Southwest Inner City).
Some 58 candidates are running for Fingal County Council which has 24 seats. Six are non-party.
Mr Joe O'Neill is running in Swords. He is campaigning on securing a light-rail service for Swords.
"I also feel very strongly that there should be better facilities for young people. I am thinking particularly of the lack of an athletics track for the local athletic club and of an all-weather pitch for River Valley Rangers, which has over 800 members," he says.
He is joined in the race by Independents Mr David O'Connor (Balbriggan); Mr Frank Clarke, Mr Gerry Lynam and Mr Sean Lyons (Mulhuddart) and Ms Sheila Terry (Castleknock). In Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, 46 candidates are running for 28 seats. Five are Independent.
Mr Tom Mason is running in the Ballybrack ward. It's his first time out. He says he is running because he is "very impressed at how local communities are running their affairs" and he would like to see them getting more resources. He also says more funding should be put into sports facilities for young people.
Also running as non-party candidates are Mr John Kavanagh (Ballybrack), Mr Shane Egan and Mr Richard Greene (Dundrum) and Mr Bill Stack (Blackrock).