Parties fearing the rise of Independents in rural areas

Two party leaders warning of the danger of supporting Independents can only mean one thing – they are worried.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald insisted that change could only be achieved by voting for candidates that can form a government.

Ms McDonald said the "idea that a Fianna Fáil or a Fine Gael-led government propped up by Independents is going to mean anything different is just wrong in my opinion".

While yesterday in a rare moment of agreement, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris sounded off on a similar theme.

Arriving at the Irish Farmers Association headquarters, he said the vote for Independents in the last general election resulted in Fine Gael needing to be part of a three-way coalition

"It's not for me or anybody else to say who gets elected to Dáil Éireann. It’s for me to go out and win every vote. But I want to win the most number of seats for my party. And the more votes that I win for my party, the more seats I win in the next Dáil, the more that strengthens our hand in any discussion.

"So I would respectfully say to farmers that the best way they ensure that they strengthen the voice of Fine Gael in the next government is not to vote for Independents because that’s actually the situation that resulted in my party and perhaps other parties losing seats in the last election and then needing a three way coalition.

"So, it’s up to farmers here. It’s not up to me."

This is a pretty thinly veiled dig at the Green Party, directly pitched to an audience known to be hostile to much of that party’s influence on the outgoing government.

Indeed earlier, one farmer asked Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin to ensure that the tail would not be wagging the dog in the next administration.

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So why are two party leaders warning of the threat of Independents? They must be worried.

In the local elections, Independents came third overall getting 20.9% of the vote resulting in 186 seats.

But this vote share rises to nearly 26% when smaller parties like Independent Ireland are added to the mix.

Opinion polls have also consistently pointed to a rise for Independents.

In this general election, there is also a new political party with three TDs pitching broadly for rural votes and styling itself as an independent force, even though it is now a registered party.

Independent Ireland had a solid local election result and now has 24 councillors, although many of these have defected from other parties.

It also received a boost in the European elections with Ciaran Mullooly getting a seat.

Outgoing government figures are definitely worried that its pitch of supporting rural Ireland will cut through.

One person not impressed with the warnings to steer clear of independents is Independent Carol Nolan, an outgoing TD in Offaly.

She was quick to round on Mr Harris for his comments accusing him of an outbreak of "innocent bystander electioneering".

She said the remarks had "gone down like a lead balloon among farmers in Offaly and beyond, who have not forgiven or forgotten the impact of the outgoing governments policies on farm incomes and farm sustainability levels".

When the votes have been counted, it will be clear whether there has been an independent surge, and whether some of this diverse group of politicians can be enticed into government.