FF stung by voters' 'Rip off' backlash

FIANNA Fáil was last night left reeling from a "Rip off Republic" backlash which could see it drop 20 seats at the next election.

Three out of four voters directly blame the Government for Ireland's "artificially" high cost of living, according to a new poll which makes grim reading for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The snapshot survey shows Fianna Fáil flat-lining with just 32% support - ten points down on its 2002 General Election tally.

The poll seemed to leave in tatters Mr Ahern's hopes for a ratings bounce following his party's Cavan "think-in" last week which was meant to regain the political initiative after a summer of set-backs.

Even more worrying for the Taoiseach than the headline figures was the underlying message of the survey that the electorate was turning its back on the FF/PD coalition and taking the "Rainbow" alternative increasingly seriously.

Nearly two thirds of voters, 62%, would now accept a Fine Gael/Labour "Rainbow" government - up seven points since the last such voter snapshot in March.

Backing for the current administration has fallen back five points in the same period with just 46% finding an FF/PD coalition acceptable. Despite Mr Ahern's attempt to re-brand his party as family-friendly at its Cavan gathering, the break-out issue damaging the Government appears to be concern about consumers being fleeced by greedy retailers and a "wasteful" Government.

Almost nine out of ten people, 89%, believe they are being ripped off on a daily basis and the vast majority, 76%, feel that the Government is mainly to blame.

The 32% rating for Fianna Fáil is five points down since March and throws them back to where they were at the last local elections when they lost a quarter of their seats.

Such a result at the looming General Election, which must be held in the next 20 months, would almost certainly end Mr Ahern's tenure as party leader and banish Fianna Fáil into opposition.

Fine Gael moved up three points to 25% with Labour unchanged on 13%, Sinn Féin support was up one point at 10%, the Greens were down one point to 6% and the PDs up one point to 4%.

Mr Ahern remains the man most trusted to be Taoiseach with 37% backing him for the post.

FG leader Enda Kenny saw his support for the top job soar 12 points to 31% as Labour's Pat Rabbitte scored a 27% trust rating, up two points.