The party's deputy leader Mary-Lou McDonald said the UK's vote to exit the European Union was adding to "absolutely mighty" challenges evident from her discussions with tillage and dairy farmers at the Ploughing.

"What does agri-food do with the threat of Northern Ireland leaving the EU?" she asked, advocating for a cross-border forum to manage Brexit.

We want basic, basic services

Local Sinn Féin TD for Offaly-North Tipperary Carol Nolan brought the debate back to immediate rural concerns, saying: "I remember growing up in the 1980s. We had gardaí on the street, we had our garda station," she said. "We want basic, basic services."

The party's finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Sinn Féin's solution to the lack of services in rural areas was legislation ensuring that "all Government policies should be rural-proofed" the same way they are "equality-proofed" in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement.

Under such legislation, "when the Government comes up with a capital investment plan, we're sure that rural areas get their piece of the cake," he said, adding that the same should apply to other areas such as health.

Live: Ploughing 2016

All Government policies should be 'rural-proofed' - Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin has been running a series of well-attended debates at its Ploughing stand this Tuesday on issues ranging from the health service to Brexit and investment in rural Ireland.