The Green Party is defending itself against claims that it has abandoned rural Ireland.
It emerged this week that Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice is spear-heading plans for a new rural political party.
He claims uncertainty around the future of farming is putting entire rural communities at risk.
But Senator Róisín Garvey - the Greens' spokesperson on rural development - says it's unfair to suggest they've done nothing for rural communities:
"Look at the rural DigiHubs, look at the solar, look at the ACRE scheme? We have a new Local Link service - one new one every week in Ireland for this year, and last year. The Derelict and the Vacant Homes Grant - that's been a massive thing. We've had 90 of them in Clare alone. I've seen houses on streets in our villages and towns turning to homes again. I mean, I just don't think that it's fair to say that the government haven't been doing anything for communities".
