General election is wide open as Fianna Fáil support drops to 33%

THE next general election looks wide open as a new poll shows backing for Fianna Fáil continuing to drop.

The party's support dipped for the third month in a row to stand at 33% in the snapshot survey.

Fianna Fáil is down two points since February and lost all the gains it made after December's well-received Budget.

With the PDs holding steady at 4%, the Government Coalition has a combined strength of 37% just one point clear of the Fine Gael /Labour alternative.

However, the Red C/Sunday Business Post survey showed a bounce for the Greens who went up from 5% to 7%. This was a further boost for the opposition as the Greens are far more likely to back a "Rainbow" government after the next election, expected in mid-2007, than prop up Fianna Fáil.

Sinn Féin remained steady at 11% as Justice Minister Michael McDowell admitted they could become "king-makers" in the next Dáil. Mr McDowell suggested the main parties may not stand by their assurances to refuse to share power with Sinn Féin in such circumstances.

"Whatever people say in advance about what they would, or would not do, doesn't correspond with what happens afterwards.

"If Sinn Féin ends up having 12 seats in the next Dáil, and if those seats represent the balance of power, it will put them in the position of king makers and they will use it," he said. Mr McDowell later denied the remarks were pointed at Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his promise not to go into Government with Sinn Féin.

The poll showed Fine Gael support static on 25% and Labour slipping back one point to 11%.

Meanwhile, ex-Labour leader Ruairí Quinn accused Environment Minister Dick Roche of "abdicating his responsibilities" in relation to the next General Election by leaving the electoral register up to 20% inaccurate.