By Mark Devenport Political Editor, BBC Northern Ireland

Election campaigns in Northern Ireland tend to be very predictable contests, as the would be champions of unionism and nationalism slug it out for who will hold the banner for their section of the community.

Voters in Belfast want "bread and butter" issues addressed

But under the surface many voters want their day to day concerns addressed and mourn the absence of a local devolved government dealing with "bread and butter politics".

The parties do have policies on economic and social issues - for instance the proposal to introduce water charges is a hot topic on the doorsteps.

Unreality

But there's an air of unreality about much of their debates given the fact that ministers appointed from London are certain to remain in charge in the short term.

Moreover discussion of these issues is often overshadowed by the traditional green/orange arguments.

This was vividly illustrated as a recent meeting of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce addressed by Gerry Adams.

The business people present wanted to hear what the Sinn Fein President had to say about better road links and economic support for their area.

Melanie Humphreys: Regrets that there is no local parliament

But many didn't want their faces to be shown on the television in case viewers jumped to the conclusion that they were Sinn Fein supporters.

For businesswoman Melanie Humphreys and trade unionist Avril Hall Callaghan the absence of a local assembly and power sharing executive at Stormont is a cause of great regret.

The Chief Executive Office at the Mallusk Enterprise Park just north of Belfast, Melanie Humphreys says the business community "really do need local politicians at the local coalface dealing with our local businesses, our local communities."

She told the BBC News website that "government ministers from Westminster are that bit further removed from the issues and the challenges that the economy and community of Northern Ireland is facing at the minute".

Sense of frustration

Although she favours Labour over the Conservatives, the trade unionist Avril Hall Callaghan shares this sense of frustration with direct rule ministers trying to juggle several Northern Ireland portfolios.

Ms Hall Callaghan is frustrated by direct rule

As the General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers Union, Ms Callaghan has been particularly concerned about recent serious cash shortfalls in the local education boards which have led to cuts in primary school funding.

She says the situation is chaotic and argues that because the local Education Minister Barry Gardiner represents the London constituency of Brent North there will be no impact on him despite his performance in this role.

"What he does here will not have any effect on his poll in the election so therefore he's not accountable and we feel that makes the difference", she said.

In tune

Melanie Humphreys believes all the local parties want Northern Ireland to prosper, but thinks its economy is running behind the rest of the UK.

She says the uncertainty about whether devolution will be restored is damaging confidence amongst the business community.

She misses the former local ministers who she felt were in tune with the needs of local entrepreneurs.

Whichever party forms the next government she is hoping for is a reduction in red tape and bureaucracy.

Avril Hall Callaghan hopes that on the other side of the election the parties can reach some sort of an accommodation.

"I hope for agreement, so that we can once again talk to people who genuinely have the interest of the education system at heart".

Government officials will start working on trying to revitalise the political process once the election is out of the way, but despite the renewed talk about the IRA standing down no one is expecting the dramatic progress on a return to power sharing in the short term.