Electorate favours FG-led coalition, finds poll

THE Fine Gael-led alternative coalition has moved ahead of the Fianna Fáil-PD Government as the electorate’s preferred choice to run the country, according to a new poll.

Asked for their preferred choice of governing bloc, 36% of respondents chose a coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and possibly the Greens, up five points since the last poll in November.

Thirty-five percent opted for the existing government, down seven points in the same period.

While the one-point lead enjoyed by the alternative is the slimmest of margins, the real significance lies in the size of the gap that has been closed.

The Fianna Fáil-PD coalition was 11 points ahead in November and in pole position to return to power, but with just weeks left to the election, is now facing the possibility of defeat.

The poll was carried out by TNS/mrbi on behalf of the Irish Times.

The first set of poll data, published yesterday, showed each party’s individual support level.

According to that data, Fianna Fáil was on just 34%, down three points since the last poll, while Fine Gael was up five points to 31%.

The PDs were on 3%, up two, while Labour was on 10%, down one, and the Greens on 6%, down two.

Added together, those numbers showed a 10-point lead for the Fine Gael-led bloc over the Government — 47% against 37%.

This morning’s data differs because voters were asked to state their coalition preference as opposed to the party they would support.

But the fact that the alternative coalition is ahead in both sets of data confirms the trend of falling support for Fianna Fáil and a corresponding rise in support for Fine Gael.

The data comes as speculation continues over the likely date of the General Election. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declined once again yesterday to say when the election will be called.