FF at risk of losing Kelleher’s seat in city to Socialist Party

THE Socialist Party could take the Dáil seat of former junior minister, Billy Kelleher, after a poll showed a collapse of Fianna Fáil support in Cork North Central.

The party could have expected a surge after Micheál Martin from the neighbouring constituency took over the leadership of the party, but it has dropped from 36% in 2007 to just 13% in the latest poll.

It shows that Labour, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are likely to take a seat each. And Mr Kelleher will have a fight on his hand for the fourth seat, battling it out with Mick Barry of the Socialist Party — also on 13%.

But with Barry more likely to get transfers from Labour and others, Kelleher will have to be ahead on the first count in order to keep his Dáil seat. Up to now, Fianna Fáil held two seats in the constituency but Noel O’Flynn was forced to pull out last month in a strategy designed to ensure Kelleher got in.

Labour’s Kathleen Lynch was the most popular of the candidates at 18%. Her party’s support has more than doubled from the 12% in 2007, with her running mate, John Gilroy at 10% but unlikely to get a seat.

Lynch is followed closely in second place by Sinn Féin’s Jonathan O’Brien on 16% — more than doubling his party’s support since the last election.

Dara Murphy of Fine Gael is at 11%. But his party’s support in the constituency has dropped by 7% in the last election to 20% since the departure of long-standing TD, Bernard Allen who retired from politics.