Are they serious about doing business? - Rural independents don't want to be 'fodder' for main parties

Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae during February's election count.

Rural independent TDs have told Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to tell them whether they want their support to form a government.

A group of five rural TDs - Mattie McGrath, Richard O'Donoghue, Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Healy-Rae and Michael Collins - met with Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary and Tánaiste Simon Coveney at the Department of Agriculture last night to discuss the policy document the two parties released last week.