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File photo of independent TD Mattie McGrath. Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

New group of rural independent TDs 'willing to engage with all parties' to help form government

The Rural Independent Group comprises Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins, Carol Nolan, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae.

A NEW GROUP of rural independent TDs have said they are “ready and willing to enter government formation discussions with all of the main political parties”.

The Rural Independent Group comprises Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins, Carol Nolan, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae.

McGrath, who was re-elected to the Dáil in the Tipperary constituency, was appointed convenor of the group at a meeting in Portlaoise yesterday.

In a statement issued this morning, McGrath said all the members of the group “recognise the clear and fundamental shift that has occurred in Irish politics over the course of the last few days”.

“The electorate, both rural and urban, are demanding change. What we are saying today is that we stand ready to play our part in advancing that change,” the statement notes.

McGrath said the group will seek to ensure that issues facing rural Ireland are taking into consideration during government-formation talks.

“Rural communities in particular feel that they were left behind by the outgoing government. They looked for leadership and support and they received neither.

“Rural Ireland was an afterthought. People in our communities saw that.

“They felt increasingly betrayed by an almost entirely Dublin-centric policy emphasis overseen by a government that appeared to have little or no natural feeling or understanding for the rural way of life,” McGrath stated.

He added that the group is “not interested in furthering any kind of rural/urban divide” but wants to see “an equal distribution of resources and infrastructure supports regardless of where you live”.

Ongoing talks 

Meanwhile Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has written to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as the party continues talks seeking to form a government.

It comes ahead of a planned meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party later today, with TDs mulling the question of whether or not it should go into government with Sinn Féin.

Fianna Fáil came out with the most seats from Saturday’s general election, with 38, but Sinn Féin won 37 seats and also the highest proportion of first preference votes.

If Sinn Féin had run more than 42 candidates, it is likely it would have returned a far higher number of seats.

So far, the party has held talks with smaller left-leaning parties with McDonald stating her preference was for a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael (35 seats).

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday said he expects his party to lead the opposition in the next Dáil

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    Mute Brendán O’Cuinn
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    Dec 11th 2019, 11:26 PM

    Interesting you describe Emma’s Father as a ‘Loyalist activist’ …. he’s a convicted terrorist and gun runner. Call a spade a spade

    162
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    Mute M Bowe
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    Dec 12th 2019, 1:45 AM

    @Brendán O’Cuinn: she isn’t a Sinn Fein candidate so those points are watered down.

    59
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    Mute M Bowe
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    Dec 12th 2019, 2:03 AM

    @Brendán O’Cuinn: South African weapons supplied with full knowledge of British government into Belfast docks. One third of which went to Ulster resistance set up and run by none other that Ian Paisley snr and Peter Robinson of DUP. Weapons which have never been accounted for or decommissioned and are still a serous threat to peace on this island.

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    Mute Jesus Christ
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    Dec 11th 2019, 8:06 PM

    As the tag line for Alien vs Predator goes:

    “Whoever wins, we lose”

    85
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    Mute Badger the witness
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    Dec 11th 2019, 9:11 PM

    FG/FF canvassing for SDLP, for one reason only. Their fear/hatred of SF. Poor craters.

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    Mute Darren Tully
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    Dec 12th 2019, 11:57 AM

    @Badger the witness: have SF indicated that they’ll get off their holes go to Westminster and vote against Borris?
    No they haven’t.
    So why would you back the party that intends to sit on their hands whIle Brexit looms?

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    Mute Liam Ó hAodha
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    Dec 11th 2019, 11:49 PM

    I see Finna Fail are continuing with their abstentionist policy on fielding candidates in the 6 counties

    37
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    Mute M Bowe
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    Dec 12th 2019, 1:48 AM

    @Liam Ó hAodha: ain’t Fianna Fáil currently an abstentionist party within the Dail as well???

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    Mute Sal Paradise
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    Dec 12th 2019, 1:58 PM

    @M Bowe: No, they take their seats in the dail.

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    Mute Moorooka Mick
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    Dec 11th 2019, 10:58 PM

    As an Irish citizen living overseas I have been dissappointed with the Journal’s coverage of the UK election; particuluarly the NI segment.

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    Mute Kenneth Finnerty
    Favourite Kenneth Finnerty
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    Dec 11th 2019, 10:10 PM

    In fairness, Michael Harding wrote a witty article about using his phone as a daily bell for mindfulness today and the comments were even more bitter.
    I’ll saw some poor divil putting up posters for Claire Hanna tonight. It takes a bit of courage to do that on a cold old night like tonight.
    My own thoughts are that Pengelly was thrown in to attract the more middle class votes in South Belfast, but I doubt it will work this time.
    What I find strange about this article is that North Belfast, East Belfast, North Down, Foyle and Fermanagh are all tight, but they only focus on this one. Id say south Belfast is the most predictable right now of all I have listed.

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    Mute Kenneth Finnerty
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    Dec 11th 2019, 10:13 PM

    @Kenneth Finnerty: Just realized how funny my typo is, I’ll saw some poor divil.

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    Mute Kenneth Finnerty
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    Dec 13th 2019, 10:31 PM

    @Kenneth Finnerty: Well I called that one pretty straight!

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    Mute trebloc01
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    Dec 12th 2019, 7:53 AM

    Just vote for anyone who will go into Parliament to represent and vote for your interest

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Dec 12th 2019, 8:26 AM

    Little Pengelly versus Big Hanna!!!!

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    Mute Myles Fleming
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    Dec 11th 2019, 8:45 PM

    “United” what?

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