A Green TD has expressed concern that Ireland's progress on climate issues could be damaged without the party in the next Government.
Waterford TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh was speaking as the latest Red C Poll showed the Green Party at 3 per cent support nationally.
History has shown smaller parties, including the Green Party in 2011, have suffered the most in coalition governments at general elections.
Speaking to BreakingNews.ie, Mr Ó Cathasaigh claims this is part of a wider change seen across Europe.
"We would love to be at 10, 15 or 20 per cent. It is something we are seeing in a European-wide context as well.
"The tide that you saw in 2019 is not there to the same extent. That said, the climate issue is not getting any less serious. I find it extremely concerning because I am only in politics because of the climate and nature issue.
"We are seeing it right across the world with a more nationalistic type of politics. It is extremely concerning because unless we get our act together, we are in big trouble when it comes to the climate."
With the election expected to be called for November 29th, the latest poll had Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil at 22 and 21 per cent respectively.
With the Greens set to lose seats, and Independents at 15 per cent, there is a very real possibility the Green Party will not be in the next government.
However, Mr Ó Cathasaigh defended the party's record in power, and says he can point to a number of incentives he says the Green Party were responsible for.
"I am very happy to defend our record in Government. When you look at transport fares, it is the first time transport fares have been cut since the '70s.
"You look at emissions, we got to 6.8 per cent emissions reduction, which people said couldn't be done. Even more concrete things like the deposit return change, we had to push for that really hard in the programme for Government.
"We were told it wasn't possible, wasn't do-able, would not be a success in the Irish context. It is like the plastic bags – people just do it now, it has been a huge success.
"People don't tend to vote for what you did, they tend to vote on what you said you are going to do."
Mr Ó Cathasaigh also addressed criticism from rural areas in the country, and claims there is a campaign to paint the Green Party as a "bogeyman" for rural Ireland.
While he accepted they would be the party in the coalition who will be punished at the polls, he said the party could not stand by in opposition.
"There is a tradition in Ireland to punish the minor coalition partner. I think we are paying the price for being in Government.
"That said, I would not have been able to accept a situation where in opposition we just sat on our hands for the last five years.
"I get frustrated when the Greens are portrayed as Dublin centric and anti-rural. I am from Waterford, you look at Roisin Garvey and Pippa Hackett. Joe O'Brien is from north Cork, Catherine Martin is from Monaghan.
"The perception is there, and I think it is in a lot of other people's interests to push that perception, and push the Greens as some sort of boogeyman in rural Ireland, and they have been quite successful in doing that."
