ABSTRACT
Democracies might appropriately be judged by the amount of popular participation in politics, the ease with which people can become candidates for office or get access to those who hold office, and the extent to which the devices of competitive election and representation are used. Bunreacht na hEireann in Article 6 refers to the right of the people 'to designate the rulers of the state and, in final appeal, to decide all questions of national policy'. Elections in Ireland, as in many other countries, give voters the opportunity to choose between the candidates who are presented to them. The pattern of participation has well-marked characteristics. The resultant profile of participation is similar to that which has been observed elsewhere. The extent to which people participate in politics differs according to the opportunities, institutionalized and informal, that are available, and these in turn are governed by the social norms and the political culture of the community.
