The leader of Independent Ireland has said the party has made what

Michael Collins was speaking at its annual conference in Galway, where around 200 people were in attendance.

The party claims its membership has swelled with people from other political parties getting in touch and "jumping ship".

Independent Ireland styles itself as the party of "common sense and the real choice for change".

Mr Collins said the scale of last week's fuel protests points to the growing strength of grassroots political engagement and highlights what he calls signs of a deeper and more widespread dissatisfaction with the direction of the country and the failure of the Government to respond adequately.

The party's four TDs and dozens of councillors were present at the protests and rejected claims that they were inflaming the situation.

Mr Collins said they were there to peacefully negotiate on the ground and pointed out that there were TDs from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil also in attendance.

"Accusations of us being part of any blockades were totally and utterly wrong.

We were there peacefully to find a solution.

Unfortunately some people are angered by that because they stood idly by while people suffer," Mr Collins said.

The party has developed a broad policy platform around housing, rural Ireland, justice and immigration and the cost of living.

Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice said that farming organisations had warned the Government of repercussions weeks in advance.

He said there were increasing numbers of voters disillusioned voters with the mainstream political parties and accused the Government of not listening and warned of very real consequences for rural livelihoods.

The party's MEP, Ciaran Mullooly, said protests were happening across Europe.

Women attending the conference cited issues such as the cost of living and the Government's "failure to listen" as reasons for supporting the party
Frances O'Flynn said Independent Ireland gives a voice to the "ordinary people" and she feels heard regarding her concerns about the way the country is heading.

Christine Gaffney from Cork was critical of the Government for what she called its "indifference" to the struggle of Irish workers, including children living in poverty and the rising cost of living.

She said choosing between "eating and heating" was not good enough.

"We're heading into a deeper and deeper crisis and all the Government can do is spend our taxes on its various pet projects and ignore the real nuts and bolts required for the people of Ireland.

That's why I joined Independent Ireland and I'm here to support them build a better Ireland that I can be proud of," she said.

Josephine Tully and Paula O'Connor from Galway said they echoed Ms Gaffney's sentiments and joined the party to be "seen and heard".