Why did I create this website?

My name is Enoch Burke. I live and work in the Midlands-North-West Constituency. I have resided here all my life, and have worked across the constituency for the past 10 years. There are several reasons why I felt this website, with its accurate analysis of Maria’s candidacy, is needed.

Civic Duty

Firstly, I am interested in elections. I believe that democracy deserves participation over cynicism. In addition, I believe it is my civic responsibility to help ensure that the best people possible represent my constituency. Indeed, democracy as it exists in Ireland is not a perfect system. However, it would be far better if all citizens played an active role in it, and contributed to the election debate.

Too often, Irish people are afraid to say what they really believe, whether on national media or in daily conversation. Nowhere is this more true than in the area of politics. Free and open discussion in an atmosphere that encourages debate and dissension is almost non-existent. Schools and universities have become echo-chambers for the latest dictates of our European peers. Is this subservience a leftover from Ireland’s colonial past? If so, it shows no signs of abating but rather appears to be worsening. To clarify, such fear of self-expression is a tragic, self-inflicted disease. Indeed, the Irish insistence on continuing in this mould is so irrational and destructive as to defy explanation.


If voters, stung into silence by the incessant opponents of conscience, would take the small and simple steps of speaking their minds openly, the skill to defend their inner convictions would rapidly return to them.

If voters, stung into silence by the incessant opponents of conscience, would take the small and simple steps of speaking their minds openly, the skill to defend their inner convictions would rapidly return to them. Not only so, the quality of the national public discourse would benefit greatly. Nothing is more fatal to democracy than a people who have abdicated the right to think for themselves.

If you are always in agreement with the national broadcaster, there is every chance that you have lost your native God-given ability to distinguish between right and wrong. When you keep silent in a conversation where opinion is peddled as fact, you do yourself and your country a disservice. Just remember: to keep silent and deny one’s conscience is to write one’s epitaph. Speak up. Be truthful. And even if your peers suddenly change and agree with you, chameleon-like (as happened in a recent conversation I had at a professional event), denying they ever disagreed with you, so be it: perhaps their own duplicity will convict them.


Nothing is more fatal to democracy that a people who have abdicated the right to think for themselves. To keep silent and deny one’s conscience is to write one’s epitaph.

In all three of the last referendums, approximately 1,200,000 people, about 35-40% of the electorate, did not vote. Clearly, the result of all three could have been different had these people, where able to do so, engaged with the democratic process. Indeed, corrupt politicians have historically entered power by force, or by quelling dissent, or by a combination of both.

Democracy deserves participation over cynicism.
Avoiding a Manipulated Choice

Secondly, it is my conviction that Maria Walsh is woefully unqualified to represent the people of Midlands-North-West in the European Parliament. She has little or no political experience, but is aspiring to one of the most elite political roles in the country. By official definition, MEPs are “EU lawmakers [who] can also quiz the Commission and the Council of Ministers”. Furthermore, their work involves involvement in serious issues such as “migration, human rights in the world and the way in which we regulate our financial markets.” Hence, it is difficult to see how a degree in Journalism and Visual Media Studies with little to no participation in public debate, let alone legal affairs, can prepare Maria for such an office. MEPs are expected to contribute their expertise to several of the EUs areas of work on committees such as finance, environment, transport and legal affairs. Where would Maria even begin? Has she ever participated in a political debate, let alone made an original contribution?

There are, of course, other attractions to the role of an MEP beyond the job description. Most notable among these is the financial aspect. MEPs receive fabulous financial remuneration. The figures are so high it is difficult to see how they could ever be justified. The MEP pre-tax monthly salary is €8,757.70, i.e. over €2000 per week. MEPs receive full reimbursement for travel costs, include business class airfare and first-class rail tickets. Not only so, MEPs receive a €320 allowance per day for every day spent on official business in Brussels or Strasbourg. As if this weren’t enough, MEPs also receive a €4,513 per month allowance to cover general expenditure, i.e. approx. €1,041 per week. A comparison of such runaway financial figures to average Irish full-time salaries is shown below.

Of course, in a functional democracy, Maria Walsh would be grilled by the media. So far, that has not happened. Furthermore, considering the behaviour of the media during previous referendums and elections, there is no indication that it will. Rather, Maria has close links with many within the media and so far has benefited enormously from prolific coverage of her campaign. This is despite the fact that Maria has little or no political experience and has spent almost half of her life, I believe, outside of Ireland (never mind outside the constituency).

The MEP pre-tax monthly salary is €8,757.70, i.e. over €2000 per week. MEPs receive full reimbursement for travel costs, include business class airfare and first-class rail tickets.

Maria’s identity as an “LGBT activist” places her above criticism by the media. Moreover, her candidacy typifies a worrying trend in Western democracies, where certain individuals, solely because of their unashamedly socially liberal credentials, suddenly qualify for public office. In summary, individuals become legitimate candidates for high office, even international office, as a fait accompli, offices that, in the past, they would be hopelessly unqualified for. Worse still, nobody seems to question this “emperor with no clothes on” phenomenon, running scared lest they be targeted by the gay lobby. Surely this is not just a ridiculous but also a dangerous scenario for moral, competent, democratic representation? As G.K. Chesterton said: “The people who are most bigoted are the people who have no convictions at all.”

Certain individuals, solely because of their unashamedly socially liberal credentials, suddenly qualify for public office… offices that, in the past, they would be hopelessly unqualified for.

The Seriousness of Political Representation

As a Christian, a teacher, and a history and politics graduate, I am aware of the seriousness of political representation. I have lived and worked in the Midlands-North-West constituency all my life. The men and women who represent the electorate should be people of ability, competence, and honour. Therefore, this website outlines my concerns about Maria Walsh’s candidacy and is designed to assist voters with their choice. In the final analysis, all this website provides is information and argument, information which the public deserves.