Michael Fitzmaurice TD will not run in the next general election - if a rural party cannot be formed before then.
The Roscommon-Galway TD told the Irish Farmers Journal that he will be “out the gap” and that “there’s no middle ground”.
“I don’t intend to be a single independent because the reality is, you could be commenting on everything, but you won’t be in where decisions are being made,” he said.
He said that “if we couldn’t get a rural party going”, he won’t be recontesting his Dáil seat.
“If the ball doesn’t bounce that way, there’s other things that I could be doing. I’d rather be on a digger or tractor.”
As an Independent, Fitzmaurice said it is “league football” and that after being in opposition, he would “want to go in where the piano is playing”.
Fitzmaurice said that being an independent TD is like being in "league football". \ David Ruffles
“There’s no point being a popular person. It won’t cut it on your own,” he added.
Fitzmaurice, a farmer himself, was responding to the Irish Farmers Journal survey finding that three in four farmers would give their first preference vote to a farmers’ party, if one was available.
Rural - not farming
The Independent TD argued that any farmers’ party must broaden out to have policy and proposals for all rural issues, not just those in agriculture, and that it is that kind of party that he would get involved in.
He said the survey finding that 72% of farmers would give their first preference vote to a farmers’ party suggests that about 90,000 votes are on the table.
Spread across the approximate 30 rural constituencies, this equates to about 3,000 votes for 30 candidates, he said.
“You’ll also need to bring [non-farming] people living in rural areas with you. You need on average about 10,000 to 11,000 votes. What you get at the doors never tallies up to what you’ll get,” he explained.
‘Sea change’
Fitzmaurice described the drop in support from farmers for Fine Gael as a “sea change”.
Fine Gael polled at 34% in the Irish Farmers Journal survey, nearly half of where the party stood at its peak in 2009.
Michael Fitzmaurice TD guessed that there is about 90,000 votes available for a farmers' party. \ Philip Doyle
“Farmers are sick of what’s going on, the bashing,” he said, adding that the biggest tension between farmers and government at present is a “vacuum” where there is inconsistent messaging and policy decisions.
The Roscommon-Galway TD also confirmed that he “wouldn’t be going to Europe” to contest the MEP elections, despite encouragement to do so.
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Farmer views: would you vote for a farmers’ party?
McConalogue's farmer rating falls
Three in four farmers would vote for a farmers' party
Michael Fitzmaurice TD will not run in the next general election - if a rural party cannot be formed before then.
The Roscommon-Galway TD told the Irish Farmers Journal that he will be “out the gap” and that “there’s no middle ground”.
“I don’t intend to be a single independent because the reality is, you could be commenting on everything, but you won’t be in where decisions are being made,” he said.
He said that “if we couldn’t get a rural party going”, he won’t be recontesting his Dáil seat.
“If the ball doesn’t bounce that way, there’s other things that I could be doing. I’d rather be on a digger or tractor.”
As an Independent, Fitzmaurice said it is “league football” and that after being in opposition, he would “want to go in where the piano is playing”.
Fitzmaurice said that being an independent TD is like being in "league football". \ David Ruffles
“There’s no point being a popular person. It won’t cut it on your own,” he added.
Fitzmaurice, a farmer himself, was responding to the Irish Farmers Journal survey finding that three in four farmers would give their first preference vote to a farmers’ party, if one was available.
Rural - not farming
The Independent TD argued that any farmers’ party must broaden out to have policy and proposals for all rural issues, not just those in agriculture, and that it is that kind of party that he would get involved in.
He said the survey finding that 72% of farmers would give their first preference vote to a farmers’ party suggests that about 90,000 votes are on the table.
Spread across the approximate 30 rural constituencies, this equates to about 3,000 votes for 30 candidates, he said.
“You’ll also need to bring [non-farming] people living in rural areas with you. You need on average about 10,000 to 11,000 votes. What you get at the doors never tallies up to what you’ll get,” he explained.
‘Sea change’
Fitzmaurice described the drop in support from farmers for Fine Gael as a “sea change”.
Fine Gael polled at 34% in the Irish Farmers Journal survey, nearly half of where the party stood at its peak in 2009.
Michael Fitzmaurice TD guessed that there is about 90,000 votes available for a farmers' party. \ Philip Doyle
“Farmers are sick of what’s going on, the bashing,” he said, adding that the biggest tension between farmers and government at present is a “vacuum” where there is inconsistent messaging and policy decisions.
The Roscommon-Galway TD also confirmed that he “wouldn’t be going to Europe” to contest the MEP elections, despite encouragement to do so.
Read more
Farmer views: would you vote for a farmers’ party?
McConalogue's farmer rating falls
Three in four farmers would vote for a farmers' party
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