Fianna Fáil due for backlash at next election, polls show

FIANNA FÁIL TDs last night expressed alarm as private polls showed the party facing a major voter backlash at the next election.

The secret surveys ordered by the FF leadership are understood to predict the loss of between 10 and 15 seats.

“This is grim news for those of us in tight constituencies.

“We took a roasting in the local elections and I’d hoped we’d made up a lot of ground since then, but this says otherwise,” said one senior FF TD.

“We really need to get our act together if we are to get through this,” another said.

The private polling is believed to confirm a slump in Government popularity which saw Fianna Fáil drop to 32% in the last national opinion poll.

A two-day FF gathering in Cavan early next month is now set to be dominated by the fears of heavy losses and the need to regain the political initiative before the election which must be called in the next 20 months.

Party chiefs are relieved that FF’s lost support is being spread widely among opposition parties and independents and not being mopped-up by one main beneficiary.

The Cavan conference is intended to give the party a more “family friendly” feel after tracking polls found voters viewed it as favouring the rich.

That image led to major FF setbacks in the last local and European elections.

An FF spokesperson said: “The election is a long way off and we are making very good progress.”