Rural independents hold 'frank and blunt' meeting with two big parties

Cork TD Michael Collins voting in February's election.

Rural independent TDs have told Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they are willing to discuss government formation - if the two parties are serious about their approaches.

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 Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe at the Department of Agriculture tonight to discuss the policy document the two parties released last week, a conversation Michael Healy-Rae called "frank and honest".

Mr Healy-Rae said that while he was open to a government, he wanted to avoid being used as "fodder".

"We want a government. We want politicians who will listen to the people and listen to the opposition.

"It is of utmost importance that we all really knuckle down. The one thing that I don't want as an individual or a part of this group is to be used as a type of fodder - that they're talking to us, but they're not really talking to us.

Do Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael want to deal with us or are they only going through the motions? Are they serious about doing business?

"Time is too precious to be going through the motions."

Mr Healy-Rae said that the group was not afraid of going into a government which will have to make "hard decisions".

Mr McGrath said that the group would not "shirk from its responsibilities", but that they accepted the formation of a government would be a "hard road". He said that the conversations were "very frank and blunt".

The group of independents, which also includes Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan, will now put together a suite of proposals for spending and legislation before negotiations move onto a more formal footing.

During the course of the meeting, the group of TDs outlined their priorities for the coming five years, as well as concerns over the impacts which the Covid-19 outbreak will have on rural Ireland.

"A standalone senior ministry for agriculture and separately for fisheries are two areas that I would see as a red line," said Cork South-West TD Michael Collins.

Mr Collins said that the two areas had been the "poor relation" of Irish politics.

He said that he would give due consideration to a government which he felt understood the concerns of rural Ireland.

"I'm very interested in listening to what they have to offer and if they're serious about delivering for rural Ireland, I would give serious consideration into entering into government."