Rural Ireland Thinks: Independent TDs gaining ground as disconnect from main parties deepens

Members of the Regional Independents Group in January 2025 (left to right) Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Gillian Toole, Michael Lowry, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, and Sean Canney. One in four respondents to today's Irish Examine poll 'strongly agree' that Independent TDs are more effective than representatives belonging to mainstream political parties. File photo: Gareth Chaney / © RollingNews.ie

Two thirds of people living in rural Ireland believe Independent TDs represent them best as dissatisfaction with the main political parties grows, an Irish Examiner poll has revealed.

The survey shows that almost half of people would like to see Michéal Martin step aside in January. However, there is little consensus around who should take over.

Rural dwellers feel increasingly disconnected from mainstream politics with six in 10 saying the current Government does not reflect their priorities or perspectives.

Support for Independent politicians has strengthened since the last poll was carried out in 2024, indicating an ongoing appetite for political representatives perceived as being closer to local concerns and less hamstrung by party direction.​

One in four 'strongly agree' that Independent TDs are more effective than representatives belonging to mainstream political parties, which is a rise of eight percentage points on 2024.

A strong east-west divergence of opinion has emerged with 72% of those living in Connacht agreeing that the Government does not represent rural Ireland. This compares to 54% of people living in rural Leinster who said they do not feel represented by the current coalition.

The Ipsos, B&A survey also has found that farmers have a particularly critical attitude towards the coalition's handling of the housing crisis, the rising cost of living as well as immigration. 

The Government fared somewhat better when people were asked about its handling of the economy and climate change. ​

Dissatisfaction of the main political leaders has grown since 2024 with all being ranked below five out of 10 when people were asked to score their performances.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who scored an average of 6.21 when the poll was carried out in 2024, now sits on 4.39. Tánaiste Simon Harris has also fallen from an average of 5.72 to a score of 4.24 in the latest poll. 

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Opposition leaders don't fare much better with Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats on 4.12, followed by Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald on 3.87; Labour leader Ivana Bacik on 3.69 and Roderic O'Gorman of the Greens on 3.33.

Perhaps more worrying for party leaders is the fact that the percentage who said they are "extremely dissatisfied" with them has risen significantly, with at least a quarter of respondents giving a score of one out of 10 to Mr Martin, Ms McDonald and Mr Harris.

A total of 16 Independent TDs were returned to the Dáil after the 2024 general election, with some including Sean Canney, Michael Healy-Rae, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Noel Grealish taking up minister of state roles in return for their support of the coalition.

Just over four in five rural dwellers in Ulster agree that Independent TDs better represent the issues facing rural Ireland compared to just over half of those in Leinster. ​

Despite a growing frustration with the Government, if there was a general election tomorrow, 15% of those asked would vote for Fine Gael and 14% for Fianna Fáil, reflecting a similar pattern to how people voted in the last election. Independents are on 12% and Sinn Fein on 11% when the question of voting intention was put to those polled.

Further down the line is Independent Ireland on 5%, followed by the Social Democrats on 4%. Other parties barely register gaining 1% or less support.

Meanwhile, almost half (48%) of rural adults agree that Micheál Martin should stand down in January with one in four disagreeing. 

Ministers Dara Calleary and Jim O'Callaghan are almost neck and neck when people were asked about who they might like to see succeed as Fianna Fáil leader.

The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing between 27th July to 24th August, 2026. The poll had a sample size of 501, giving a margin of error of ±4%.

• The Rural Ireland Thinks Survey was funded by the News Reporting Scheme.

• Elaine Loughlin is Political Editor.