FG poll puts Kelleher on track to win seat

FIANNA FÁIL TD Billy Kelleher looks on track to win a seat in Cork North Central, according to an internal Fine Gael poll.

The poll, which was taken three weeks ago, puts the former junior minister on 15% of the vote. Topping the poll is Labour’s Kathleen Lynch with 20% while Fine Gael’s Pat Burton is neck and neck with Kelleher on 15%.

According to this latest survey, the second Fine Gael candidate, Dara Murphy is polling well at over 12% as is Sinn Féin’s Jonathan O’Brien. Labour’s John Gilroy is just one percentage point behind Murphy and O’Brien on 11%.

Many had been expecting Kelleher to fare very badly in this election — and that the former poll topper would be fighting for the fourth seat.

However, this latest poll is sure to make his team much more confident of retaining one of the two outgoing Fianna Fáil seats.

The poll which was carried out before party colleague, Noel O’Flynn stepped aside over a week ago showed the former TD on 5% — a percentage of O’Flynn’s vote is also likely go Kelleher’s way too. O’Flynn stepped aside to maximise the likelihood of one Fianna Fáil candidate being elected.

The CNC poll has the Socialist Party’s Mick Barry on 4% and the remaining independent candidates and Green Party candidate, Ken Walsh clocking up 6% between them. Fergus O’Rourke is running as an independent as is Little Island-based Padraig O’Sullivan. Ted Tynan is running for the Worker’s Party.