Candidates running in the Galway West bye-election race on Friday 22 May outlined their positions in a special edition programme of RTÉ's The Week in Politics.
Four of the candidates took part in a discussion at the TG4 studios in Galway this lunchtime, while eight more of the 17 candidates also put forward their key campaign areas in interviews on the programme.
The studio discussion involved Fianna Fáil candidate Cillian Keane, Fine Gael candidate Seán Kyne, Sinn Féin candidate Mark Lohan and Independent Ireland candidate Noel Thomas and focused on the fuel protests, the cost of living, immigration and other matters.
On the fuel protests and cost of living, Mr Thomas said the recent protests were about "people feeling they are not getting support from Government".
When asked if the country was held to ransom and if gardai should have been respected, he said: "I have actually said that myself since, I understand they have a job to do too.
"People felt they [protesters and blockaders] had no other option, they felt like not being listened to by Government at all."
Mr Keane said in relation to cost of living that he was "glad to see the Taoiseach [Micheál Martin] talking this morning about tax measures and targeted supports".
However, he said "by and large we are going in the right direction".
Asked if he fully supports Fianna Fáil policies in Government or if he would have a more independent perspective, he said: "I want to deliver for the people of Galway, but you have to be practical about it."
In response to whether a €9bn exchequer surplus means there should be a mini-budget, Mr Kyne said: "We've given some €750m as a budget package over the last number of weeks.
"Something has to be done in the autumn," he added.
Asked about former taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar's recent comments suggesting urban Ireland pays for rural Ireland, he said: "I wasn't talking directly [with Mr Varadkar] but I disagree totally.
"There's been push back from nearly everyone in Fine Gael on this, those comments were unhelpful and I've pushed back on them."
Mr Lohan separately called for a mini-budget as people have been "hammered by the cost of living crisis".
He said Sinn Féin wants to introduce a policy to put "€500 euro back into the pocket of people".
"We need an emergency budget now. We cannot wait until October."
On housing, Mr Kyne was asked about delays to the Government's planned Airbnb register, saying "tourism is very important for the area, as is housing" and that some of the "short term lets" are owned by "local people... keeping a home for the future".
Mr Keane said "we have to look at it in a rounded way" and there there is a need to "stop pitting housing and tourism against each other, you have to sit back and look at this in the round".
Mr Lohan said what is needed to help address housing is "water treatment, servicing of sites, planning permission for people to live and grow in the communities they live in", while Mr Thomas said Government needs to "step up" on the matter, including helping to protect Gaeltacht areas.
On immigration, Mr Lohan said there is a "frustration of people" around "the mess that's been made of the IPAS system... decisions need to be made in a more timely manner".
In response to a question of whether the Government and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan are taking a leaf out of Independent Ireland's book on the matter, Mr Thomas said: "They're probably doing that to protect themselves at this stage.
"Only three years ago I was lambasted [while a Fianna Fáil councillor], and now you see they're all agreeing with me."
Mr Kyne said "Government has responded" to the views of the public, and that there is a need to recognise both the important role of people who have come to Ireland and the "feedback" from other areas of the public.
Mr Keane separately said: "The priority here is to ensure we move past the emergency situation [with Ukraine] we've had, it's been unsustainable."
Mr Keane also said in relation to the defence amendment bill concerning the future of the triple lock that he would support the bill as "it's not threatening our neutrality".
Mr Kyne said it is important to recognise that "Donald Trump, Putin have a veto" on where Irish troops are sent in relation to UN peacekeeping in terms of the existing system.
Mr Lohan said he would oppose any changes as "we've a proud tradition of peacekeeping and to change the triple lock a move away, a move away from neutrality," adding any possible changes should be "put to a referendum".
Mr Thomas was also asked about the bill and if it should be put to a referendum.
He said: "Possibly. It's a policy that's going to affect everybody into the future."
Separately asked to respond to suggestions from some people that he is a "right-wing" candidate, Mr Thomas said: "I don't meet many people actually who label me right wing.
"I wasn't lacking exactly in getting transfers there, why people come out with statements I'm far right, I don't know."
When asked if any voting pacts exist, Mr Keane said: "Who am I to tell anybody how to vote".
In response to the same question, Mr Kyne said: "That remains to be seen, I believe in centrist politics, but people are entitled to vote as they wish".
Mr Lohan said the fact the bye-election is for a seat previously held by now President Catherine Connolly means it is "important this seat stays left".
Eight of the remaining 13 candidates also outlined their views during the special programme.
Labour's Helen Ogbu said: "People should vote for me because we need change, I've been in the community, been a community worker, so I understand the real issues for people. I am someone who is hands on, who will go all the way."
Independent Mike Cubbard said: "People are fed up of party politics, I'm an independent, if I go to Dublin I'm not going there with a party badge and then my views change, I'm going there for Galway."
Green candidate Niall Murphy said: "The Greens do have to come back, the climate issue is not going away."
Social Democrats candidate Mide Nic Fhionnlaoich said: "People should vote for me if they want an alternative, someone who sticks up for most vulnerable and champions things like proper healthcare."
People Before Profit's Denman Rooke said his priorities are housing, putting a price cap on "fuel and energy and bringing in energy credits", as well as "a re-nationalisation of the energy sector and passing the Occupied Territories Bill".
Aontú's Orla Nugent said as a primary school teacher she wants to be a "voice for families struggling with cost of living and housing, people should be able to get on property ladder, and not see it as a pipe dream."
Independent Thomas Welby said transport is a key priority, as well as University Hospital Galway, saying "the life of a CT scanner is normally eight years, today they [the hospital] has a 22-year-old scanner".
And Independent Sheila Garrity said cost of living is key to her campaign as "people are really struggling, I talked to a woman who said she's not had the heat on in six weeks".
The other candidates running in the Galway West bye-election race are Independent Neil Bairead, the Irish People's Party's AJ Cahill, Independent Patrick Feeney, Independent John O Leary and Independent Michael Ryan.
The Galway West bye-election and the separate Dublin Central bye-election will take place on Friday, 22 May.
