Poll shows surge in support for FF despite Ahern payments controversy
The monthly tracking poll, carried out by Red C, showed support for Fianna Fáil at 39%, an increase of six points since the market research firm’s previous poll in September.
The September poll was taken just before it emerged that Mr Ahern had accepted payments totalling £50,000 (€63,000) from friends and businessmen in the 1990s. The increase in support for Mr Ahern’s party since then suggests many voters sided with the Taoiseach as he faced trenchant Opposition and media criticism.
The result, published in yesterday’s Sunday Business Post, was in line with two other polls this month.
A TNS MRBI poll carried out for the Irish Times also showed support for Fianna Fáil at 39%, an increase of eight points since that firm’s last poll in May.
A Millward Brown IMS poll for the Sunday Tribune put Fianna Fáil even higher — on 42%, an increase of five points on its poll in September.
Yesterday’s Red C results showed Fianna Fáil at 39% [+6], Fine Gael on 23% [-2], Labour on 10% [-4], Sinn Féin on 10% [+2], the Green Party on 8% [+1], the PDs on 3% [-1] and Independents on 8% [-1].
It means if the election were held tomorrow, the current coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the PDs would command a combined 42% of the vote and be in position to return to power — albeit with the loss of some seats.
The alternative proposed by Fine Gael and Labour, by contrast, would have just 33% of the vote. If the Greens were factored in, the alternative would have 41% and the two blocs would be virtually neck and neck.
Meanwhile, Labour has confirmed that its director of communications, Liam Cahill, is standing down.
He is the third senior figure the party has lost in the last 18 months. Chef de cabinet Fergus Finlay resigned to become chief executive of children’s charity Barnardos, while national organiser Pat Magner left to pursue private interests.
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