Fine Gael 'happy' at Noonan poll rating

Fine Gael has insisted that it is "extremely happy" with today's poll results, despite the fact that party leader Michael Noonan failed to increase his ratings.

Fine Gael increased its approval rating by 4%, but Deputy Noonan's position remains at just 37%, the same as previous leader John Bruton. Bertie Ahern is still the most popular leader at 64%, while the Tanaiste Mary Harney is up five points to 59%, with Labour's Ruairi Quinn down one to 47%.

However, Fine Gael deputy leader Jim Mitchell said that the party is satisfied with its ratings, adding that if it moved up by a similar margin in the next poll it would be doing well.

He said that Deputy Noonan had been unlucky in that he had had to deal with a number of problems from the past over which he had no control during his three-month tenure as leader.