The new Government line-up announced today has completely overlooked the West and Rural Ireland.
There is no full Cabinet Minister from West of the Shannon.
We have also seen the disbandment of the Department of Rural and Community Development with rural affairs tagged on to the Department of Social Protection.
This does a disservice to the interests of Rural Ireland and I am very concerned that the work that has been done in recent years to support regional development will not get the support it needs going forward.
There is a very real risk that the West of Ireland is being forgotten about. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have sold out the interests of Rural Ireland to the Greens.