FF to take three seats in Limerick east - poll

Fianna Fail could win three seats in Limerick east in the upcoming general election, according to an opinion poll broadcast on TG4.

The poll predicts that Willie O’Dea will secure in excess of two quotas with 42% of the vote.

His Fianna Fail running mates, Peter Power and Eddie Wade, secured 5% and 4% respectively in the poll, a figure that would leave the party with more than three quotas and 'in line to win three seats', according to MRBI analysts.

The TG4 poll also predicts that Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan will secure 19% and will be elected on the first count.

This would leave Mr Noonan’s running mate, Mary Jackman, and the Labour Party’s Jan O’Sullivan battling for the constituency’s fifth seat, at the expense of the Progressive Democrats.

Ms Jackman secured 8% support in the poll, Ms O’Sullivan also registered 8% and Tim O’Malley, the PD candidate, got 4%.

Of the other candidates, Fine Gael’s Pat Kennedy secured 5%, independent candidates Michael Kelly and John Gilligan secured 2% each and other independents, including Limerick lecturer Denis O’Riordan and former Limerick GAA manager Tom Ryan, registered shares of less than 1% each.