Politicians use their voices non-stop, so for the voice to fail is a disaster. This is doubly so at election time. Two weeks ago FF's Jim Fitzsimons, outgoing MEP and Leinster candidate, found his voice had gone. An emergency visit to an ENT specialist elicited the information that if he stopped speaking for three weeks, in other words kept his mouth shut, he would be totally cured. Not possible, said Fitzsimons. So he opted for surgery instead. After a short stay in the Mater Hospital he is now back on the campaign trail.