MOST media commentators have been of the opinion that the campaign so far has been lacklustre. Drapier cannot really give a view about this as he is so taken up with door knocking that he hasn't been able to analyse the media debate.
From what Drapier can ascertain the main focus of the armchair politicos has been on taxation issues. Drapier thinks that this emphasis is really a phoney war as he is not sure if the people on the doorsteps really believe what the political parties are telling them.
The Fianna Fail proposal to help stay at home wives with a tax allowance would appear to be very popular, whereas the Labour Party plan to increase child allowances in the months of August and December seems also to be going down well. Meanwhile, the PDs proposal to pay a £100 oldage pension is balancing any adverse comments on their tax package.
All in all the punters seem to be mesmerised. The old adage, "It's hard to please all of the people all of the time", is extremely apt when it comes to dealing with taxation.
Fine Gael has been dogged by the "Lowry issue". Drapier thinks Fine Gael was rather stupid to put Jim Higgins out on Morning Ireland stating that it would not be "seeking" Michael Lowry's vote in the event of a hung Dail. Yet he avoided the question as to whether or not his party would accept Lowry's vote freely given.
Lowry himself did not make matters any easier for the Taoiseach and Fine Gael by subsequently stating that he would willingly support John Bruton for Taoiseach. His replacement in the constituency for Fine Gael, Tom Berkery, subsequently went on radio and said that "no favours would be sought or given in Lowry's case."
Immediately that was said, Drapier wondered where we had heard that before. No strings attached! Shades of the Dunnes payments tribunal.
Drapier always felt that the Lowry situation would be John Bruton's Achilles heel. Bruton must rue the day he set eyes on Michael Lowry. His opponents continually remind him of Lowry's description of the Taoiseach as "my friend, my best friend for ever".
Michael Lowry will not take lightly the Taoiseach's statement that Lowry has "let himself down". Drapier wonders if this relationship could turn nasty, even over the days running up to the election.
Another issue which may gather pace before the election date is the Brigid McCole "unfinished business". Fianna Fail was particularly insistent that if returned to Government it would immediately open the files so as to show who was responsible for the legal strategy adopted.
While some people may rule this issue out as an election one, another interview with those affected by the matter could have serious ramifications for the present Government parties.
The abortion issue has got some airing, with Bertie Ahern insisting that he as Taoiseach would deal with it, whereas John Bruton appeared to be happy with the status quo. While Bertie's approach may appear to be courageous, it also may be storing up difficulties for him in the future.
Bruton's position, as current Taoiseach, must be open to question, in that the courts have insisted that the Oireachtas has neglected its duty to regulate for the X case.
Dick Spring showed a chink in the Rainbow's armour when he said that the issue should be legislated for. The opposition were quick to point to the difference between the Government parties, but they can hardly shout too loudly. Drapier thinks that the public deserves some direction from its elected representatives.
This is not an issue which will go away and it could very well trip up future governments.
It never ceases to amaze Drapier how during the three weeks of an election campaign every constituent who has a gripe or point to make feels that if they don't get to the candidate before the election they are losing out.
For all the high minded nonsense about the deputies being legislators rather than messenger boys, there is absolutely no doubt in Drapier's mind that the election period shows quite conclusively that the public, by and large, wishes for nothing more than to be able to buttonhole a candidate.
How often do the candidates hear on the door, "I'll vote for you, if you do this for me (and before the election!)." Quite apart from all the issues being raised at the doors, candidates return from a hard day's canvass to find a myriad of phone messages and letters on every subject under the sun and, of course, they all have to be responded to before D-Day.
Another occurrence which "bugs" Drapier is the fact that during the campaign candidates get a succession of faxes and letters summoning them to meetings of all kinds of pressure groups which feel that their bone of contention is the most important in the world.
Of course, if Drapier and the rest don't attend they are "the worst in the world". Normally restrained members of the public become whimpering election junkies during the three weeks. Why do we put ourselves through the torture? Even the more sophisticated and discerning voter succumbs to "auction politics" pressure.
In an effort to identify issues of difference the normally superior minded media commentators scrape around for any story, in some cases making something out of virtually nothing. A case in point is the somewhat academic (at least at this stage) argument regarding the two Marys, Mary O'Rourke and Mary Harney, for Tanaiste. The fact that this story has gained so much space is indicative of a lacklustre campaign.
The leaders of the main parties didn't have a great time this week with staged managed events. John Bruton apparently turned up at a shopping centre only to find that he was a day early for the official opening.
The three Government party leaders had their photo opportunity in the Temple Bar area stalked by homeless youngsters, and Bertie had trouble throwing a coin into a fountain, though he redeemed himself with the PR coup of the election so far by getting on the same podium as Sylvester Stallone.
Drapier doesn't go in for that type of electioneering. Door to door slogging is the tried and trusted method, as far as he is concerned, so it's back to the grind stone.