Opinion poll highlights fall in support for SF and Adams

An opinion poll in this morning’s newspapers has highlighted a fall in support for Sinn Féin and its leader, Gerry Adams.

The Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll put support for the party at 9%, down two points since January and three points since last October.

Mr Adams’ personal popularity was put at 30%, down 12 points since January and 21 since October.

The decline is almost certainly a result of the Northern Bank robbery, alleged IRA money-laundering in the Republic and the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney, which have led to attacks on Sinn Féin from both its rivals and its supporters.

Elsewhere, the poll put support for Fianna Fáil at 38% (unchanged since January), Fine Gael 22% (unchanged), Labour 12% (down one point), the Green Party 4% (unchanged) and the Progressive Democrats 3% (down four points).