Elected first as a councillor in 2004, he most recently retained his seat as a Tipperary county councillor in 2014. The son of former TD and minister Michael Smith Snr, he was the focus of media attention last year when he voted against party colleagues in the council.

I work diligently for people with housing, health, jobs, and special needs matters. As a married father of three, I understand the pressures of family life.

To introduce a series of effective initiatives to combat crime and ensure that the people of Tipperary are safe in their homes once again.

As a matter of urgency, we simply must open up more beds in our hospitals and move our sick from trolleys in corridors to beds in apt wards.