A THREAD ON ELECTORAL POLITICS: Two old maps here from 2015 and 2018. Both the culminations of long-running, people-driven campaigns which began and grew outside electoral politics - for a long time the vast majority of TDs and Senators avoided these issues like the plague.

In the end, politicians recognised how public opinion was shifting and allowed these two referendums. The issues entered mainstream electoral politics at last. But for years they had grown outside of it. Nobody today was calling for the abolition of Irish electoral politics.

But it is important to recognise that electoral politics aren't the be all and end all of how issues can be raised and addressed: Advocacy, support groups, awareness raising and voicing opinions are as much a cornerstone of any decent democracy as elections.

I mean, this is Junior Cert CSPE stuff. It has been baffling watching people twisting Saoirse McHugh's statement on electoral politics into something it isn't. Marriage Equality and Repeal of the 8th were achieved by people power which influenced our electoral political system.

The natural instinct of many politicians is to be cautious and not to propose anything controversial. Without outside groups campaigning for those two issues, its doubtful the Oireachtas would have spontaneously decided to hold referendums on them when they did.

To be clear, the basis for this tweet isn't any partisan feeling, its our own background in adovacy and education. We should celebrate and champion people power. Yes, we elect TDs to represent us, but its their job to keep up with us, to keep up with how our society is changing.

Even just last year, our young people marched and protested to make us all realise just how serious the climate emergency is. People power is everything in a democracy like ours. Political participation is not - and should never be - confined to those we elect.

We all have that right. Elected office is an honour but it is not a badge of superiority. Taking the view that holding elected office grants you the ability to wield influence, and not holding it means that should wield none, is bizarre in any democracy.

This year of all years we should be looking to the future to decide what it should look like. We all have a say in that. We all should be heard. We should all listen to each other. We should all discuss and debate. But nobody should be dismissed on the basis of not being a TD.

And nobody should reasonably hold the opinion that no movements or campaigns can gain support outside of electoral politics, while simultaneously lauding the results of the referendums in 2015 and 2018. Thanks for listening to us.