Dublin will return over 40 TDs spanning 11 constituencies but, apart from a couple of pockets, TDs may not be looking towards securing the farmer vote.

The farming issues

There are around 800 farms in Co Dublin. The county boasts some of the largest and most productive land in the country. There is a total of 11,107ha under tillage and most of the intensive vegetable producers in the country are here. These are all serious farmers.

Sheep connects between farms in the north and south of the country. The south is home to the county’s sheep farmers, with over 18,000 ewes across the county. Commonage is an issue for these hill farmers.

The relationship between vegetable producers and their buyers is a big issue here. The signing of the grocery regulations, which come into effect in April, was welcomed. However, the law was criticised for lacking a ban on below-cost selling.

The rural issues

Those living in rural areas in Dublin do not face the same issues as their counterparts in more isolated areas, such as access to services like healthcare and broadband. Concerns include security from crime and poor road infrastructure for farmers.

Who will get elected?

Candidates in Dublin will not be campaigning on farming issues and there wouldn’t be a consensus on any party or individual across the farming community.

Dublin’s main farming constituency is Fingal, but its electorate profile is very varied and includes middle class towns such as Skerries, rural areas and poorer working class areas. There was a strong opposition to water charges here, led by TD Clare Daly. It is a new constituency, replacing Dublin North, and will return a mixed selection of TDs.

There are five seats up for grabs. Seanad member Darragh O’Brien (FF) is expected to be elected after losing his seat in the Dáil in 2011, while James Reilly (FG), Clare Daly (Independent) and Brendan Ryan (Labour) will all be returned. O’Brien is popular with local vegetable growers and has spoken out on fair prices, while Reilly will also receive support from farmers. At a recent IFA and Fingal Farmers Group meeting on crime in Balbriggin, Cllr Tony Murphy (Independent Alliance) impressed farmers and may win some votes from the community.

With a smaller number of farmers in the south of Dublin, they will be looking at what candidates are promising regarding garda stations and rural crime.

The odds courtesy of Paddy Power

Dublin Fingal

Clare Daly (United Left)

1/80

Louise O'Reilly (Sinn Fein)

8/15

Terry Kelleher (AAA-PBP)

14/1

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

1/25

Barry Martin (AAA-PBP)

11/4

Roslyn Fuller (Ind)

50/1

James Reilly (Fine Gael)

1/3

Tony Murphy (Ind)

6/1

Gerry Molloy (Renua)

50/1

Alan Farrell (Fine Gael)

4/11

Joe O'Brien (Green Party)

9/1

Marcus De Brun (Ind)

66/1

Brendan Ryan (Labour)

4/11

Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail)

10/1

Fergal O'Connell (Ind)

500/1

Dublin West

Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael)

1/100

Paul Donnelly (Sinn Fein)

1/100

Jack Chambers (Fianna Fail)

1/18

Ruth Coppinger (AAA-PBP)

1/9

Joan Burton (Labour)

2/1

David McGuinness (Ind)

6/1

Roderic O'Gorman (Green Party)

33/1

TJ Clare (Ind)

50/1

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)

66/1

Dublin Mid - West

Eoin O Broin (Sinn Fein)

1/80

Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

7/4

Lorraine Hennessey (Workers Party)

66/1

Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

1/40

Anne-Marie McNally (Social Democrats)

9/2

Francis Timmons (Ind)

66/1

John Curran (Fianna Fail)

8/15

Paul Gogarty (Ind)

9/1

Michael Ellison (Ind)

80/1

Gino Kenny (AAA-PBP)

8/13

Tom Kivlehan (Green Party)

50/1

Clare Leonard (Ind)

100/1

Derek Keating (Fine Gael)

4/5

Dublin South - West

Paul Murphy (AAA-PBP)

1/50

Deirdre O'Donovan (Ind)

9/4

Sandra Fay (AAA-PBP)

10/1

Sean Crowe (Sinn Fein)

1/50

Eamonn Maloney (Ind)

9/4

Karen Warren (Fine Gael)

14/1

Colm Brophy (Fine Gael)

1/5

Pamela Kearns (Labour)

7/2

Peter Fitzpatrick (Ind)

25/1

John Lahart (Fianna Fail)

8/15

Katherine Zappone (Ind)

5/1

Francis Noel Duffy (Green Party)

33/1

Sarah Holland (Sinn Fein)

6/4

Mick Duff (Labour)

13/2

Declan Burke (Ind)

66/1

Anne-Marie Dermody (Fine Gael)

15/8

Ronan McMahon (Renua)

8/1

Kieran Adam-Quigley (Ind)

80/1

Dublin Rathdown

Shane Ross (Ind)

1/100

Josepha Madigan (Fine Gael)

1/3

Alan Shatter (Fine Gael)

4/7

Catherine Martin (Green Party)

9/4

Mary White (Fianna Fail)

11/4

Peter Mathews (Ind)

9/2

Alex White (Labour)

5/1

Sorcha Nic Cormaic (Sinn Fein)

50/1

Alan Daveron (Renua)

66/1

Dun Laoghaire

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Fine Gael)

1/25

Cormac Devlin (Fianna Fail)

11/4

Shane O'Brien (Sinn Fein)

33/1

Richard Boyd Barrett (AAA-PBP)

1/10

Carrie Smyth (Labour)

10/1

Frank Cronin (Renua)

80/1

Mary Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

2/5

Ossian Smyth (Green Party)

18/1

Raymond Whitehead (DDI-NCM)

500/1

Maria Bailey (Fine Gael)

6/4

Carol Hunt (Ind)

20/1

Read more

More constituencies added through February

Full coverage: General election 2016