Tánaiste warns over SF coalition Govt

The Tánaiste Michael McDowell, today urged voters not to sleepwalk into a coalition government supported by Sinn Féin.

As the latest opinion poll revealed strong support for the Fianna Fáil/PD partnership, the Justice Minister warned any other alternative would be a lead balloon.

“Are we going to sleepwalk into a Fianna Fáil/Labour coalition which is not wanted by most people, or are we going to sleep walk into a Fianna Fáil government supported from the outside by Sinn Féin?” he asked.

“A lot of people would have huge fears about that situation arising and what I’m saying is don’t waste your vote on a lead balloon.”

The Fianna Fáil/PD coalition received a confidence boost with the latest poll showing they had backing of 42% of the electorate.

The survey of 1,000 voters, only six weeks since the last, shows the partners have improved their chances of regaining control of the next Dáil with the Fine Gael-Labour alliance, with the possible participation of the Green Party, only securing 31% support, the same as in October.

Backing for the individual parties shows Fianna Fáil out in front with 40% of the vote, up 1%, while their closest rivals Fine Gael also gained 1% giving them a 27% slice of the vote.

The rest of the parties lag some distance behind with Labour showing no change since October sitting on 11%; Sinn Féin dropped 1% to 7%; the Greens lost further ground down 2% to 4% and the PDs resting on 3%, a fall of 1% in the last six weeks. Independents/others have 8%, a rise of 2%.

The poll also found Taoiseach Bertie Ahern remains the nation’s choice as leader with a satisfaction rating of 59%, the second-highest rating he has achieved since the last election.

The poll was taken last Monday and Tuesday from 1,000 voters at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies.