I am a tax-paying citizen living in Maynooth, in the constituency of Kildare North. I am also a working mum and that, coupled with the huge commute every day, is soul-destroying. Being banished to the counties in order to afford a house is sucking the soul out of family life. Thousands of families are just like me. To be honest, I don't have a family life, or a quality of life. My son sees me for 30 mins in the morning and not in the evening, because he's already in bed by the time i make my gigantic trek from the city to home.