'Never mind the polls!' says Birr Sinn Féin candidate Seán Maher. 'On the doorsteps they want change.'

I joined Birr Sinn Féin while they were out canvassing yesterday evening on Moorpark Street, Birr and the subject of the Irish Times / Ipsos poll came up which put Fine Gael and Sinn Féin neck and neck at 23% each, a far cry from the 35% which Sinn Féin was enjoying not all that long ago. The Birr LEA candidate Seán Maher was philosophical about the situation.

"I wouldn't mind the polls at all," he said. "They can be a snapshot in time which can change hugely. I'd trust more what we're hearing on the doorsteps, which is that an awful lot of people want to call time on this government, they want a change. We are going to give them that change. Sinn Féin is going to deliver the biggest housing programme in the history of the state by building social and affordable homes on public lands. Ireland had one of the highest levels of home ownership in Europe when Fine Gael took office in 2011. This has collapsed, locking a generation out of home ownership. Homes are out of reach because this government is out of touch."

We called to all the houses on Moorpark Street and many of the people were at home. They were all friendly but they still got their points across. Many spoke about local issues which were bothering them. The recent outbreak of graffiti around Birr was raised. Another concern was the reduction of Respite Care beds in Birr Community Nursing Unit. "Respite beds are so important to people," said one man. "They give people a much-needed temporary respite from looking after their loved ones."

Another man was worried about the future of HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) and the possibility of it being phased out. "I love living on this street," he said. "I don't want to be made move because they decide to get rid of HAP."

A woman complained about a block of flats beside the Camcor River, which overlook Moorpark Street. She said there was a privacy problem because of them. "The residents of the flats often stand out on the walkway and can look down into our gardens. The lack of privacy is disturbing." She said a number of other residents on the street are bothered by the problem as well.

Seán was out canvassing with two other party members. They told me they started canvassing just before Christmas. One of them wasn't concerned about the Irish Times poll either, pointing out that he wouldn't be surprised if the poll didn't take a representative cross-section of society. "They probably just did it in Blackrock," he said wryly.

Seán pointed out that Housing is the most dominant issue on the doorsteps. "People are mentioning it again and again. It's very serious. Again and again I'm coming across situations where three generations of people are living in the one house. They are the unseen homeless." The Cost of living crisis is another massive topic on the doorsteps. Road infrastructure in rural areas is a significant problem. "In rural areas like Coolderry or Dromakeenan they are often complaining about the bad state of some roads. Birr Municipal District gets 33% of the County Council's roads funding but has 50% of the county's road network. It deserves more funding."

Other priorities for Seán include bringing about a Relief Road and Pedestrian Crossings for Birr Town; and more Bus Shelters across the Municipal District. He also wants to establish a new Industrial Zone in Birr Town, to encourage new businesses and jobs.

"The cost of living is too high," he adds. "The cost of groceries, fuel, insurance and housing is making it impossible for people to make ends meet. For may workers, wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Sinn Féin will end the rip off, take on vested interests and work for a better deal for workers and families. Cinnteoidh Sinn Féin go mbeifear ina thosaíocht dul i ngleic le costais mhaireachtála."