I wouldn't be totally convinced with them but the devil you know is better than the devil you don't."

'Dave' is a constituent in Longford-Westmeath and will be one of those supporting Mary O'Rourke's efforts to make it back into Dail Eireann this Thursday.

Dave is no ordinary voter, though. He has served 10 years of a life sentence and will be one of the 404 people who will cast their general election 2007 vote from behind bars.

Dave has always had a great interest in politics but was unable to vote in the 1997 or 2002 elections. The rules were recently changed to allow inmates their democratic right to help choose our elected representatives.

Wheatfield Prison in southwest Dublin houses 384 prisoners and just 13 have registered to vote despite the prison authorities launching an internal campaign to highlight the change in rules.

Only 3% of Wheatfield's population will cast a vote this week. Across the prison network things are better. Of the country's 3,200-strong jail population, 404, or 13%, will choose a candidate. The national voting average should be over 65%.

'John' is one of the majority of prisoners in Wheatfield who didn't register to vote.

"I've never really been into voting and don't intend on doing it this time. I've never really taken an interest in politics and don't know anything about it but I wouldn't mind learning in the future."

John was sent to prison for the first time four months ago and received a two-year sentence. In the shock of acclimatising to life in a small cell, he never saw the posters on the walls around the large prison advertising prisoners' right to vote.

"I watch the news in my cell every night and keep up to date. I suppose Michael McDowell is ok but some of the lads wouldn't think much of him. I thought prison would be a lot worse than it is.

"You just do your time and keep to yourself and stay out of trouble. That's the main thing. You just get on with it.

All the prison officers are grand. If you are good to them they are good to you, there's no hassle."

John intends to be back on the streets for good when campaigning for the 2012 election gets underway. If he was voting this time he would avoid Fine Gael because of their policies on crime.

"I wouldn't vote for Fine Gael because they want to take half remission off prisoners. I don't think that's right. I've learned from my mistake and I'll never get in trouble again and certainly won't be back here.

"If you take half remission away it will mean that people will just not care and will do whatever they want because they're not getting time off their sentences. So why would they be good for prison officers? They'll just give them a hard time."

'Conor' is also a lifer in Wheatfield and has been institutionalised for 11 years.

He is also frustrated about the length of sentences.

"The politicians' view is:

'Well they're in here now and we can keep them here as long as we want.' It should be the parole board that decides but they can't because of Michael McDowell. When I came here I was told I'd be out within 10 years but there's no sign of it."

Conor will be casting his ballot in the Dublin North constituency. He is a floating voter and has not made up his mind yet.

"I don't know at this point who I'll vote for yet. I'll take some time to decide over the next few days."