Rabbitte dismisses opinion poll slide

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte today dismissed the latest opinion poll which shows support for his party has dropped by 2%.

The research published in this morning’s Irish Examiner shows one point increases each for Fianna Fail (39%), Fine Gael (24%) and the Progressive Democrats (6%).

Sinn Fein are down one point (9%), while the Green Party (6%) and the independents (6%) remain unchanged, according to the Lansdowne Market Research survey carried out last Wednesday and Thursday.

The poll showing Labour’s support down to 10% comes as the party gathers to conclude its two-day policy think-in in Cork.

Mr Rabbitte said the latest survey was at odds with others over the past two years and insisted Fine Gael and Labour are still attracting the same support as the present administration.

“Polls come and polls go. You’re up a point and you’re down a point and all the rest. The thing about this poll is that it is out of sync with the polls we have had over two years,” he said.

“I’m reminded of the fact that when we had this poll in the same paper last year, five days later the Labour Party was at 14% in the Irish Times.”

The Labour leader said the proposed alternative government has been shown over the last 34 polls to be neck and neck with Fianna Fail and the PDs.

“I remain to be persuaded that that doesn’t remain to be the position, notwithstanding the fact the Taoiseach has put the Dáil into recess, meaning he and his ministers have been on display over the summer recess and the opposition have been left without a platform,” he said.

Some 42% of voters think Tánaiste Michael McDowell’s takeover at the helm of the junior coalition partner is a positive development, while 30% look upon it negatively, according to the poll.