Parties on final round of canvassing as FF sees poll boost

Political parties will begin final whistle-stop tours of marginal constituencies today in a bid to muster extra votes ahead of polling on Thursday.

As opinion polls swing dramatically towards Fianna Fáil, Opposition parties will be aiming to hold ground they gradually gained in recent weeks.

This morning's Irish Times poll puts support for the party up five points to 41% in the wake of last week's debate between Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny.

Fine Gael are down one point to 27% and Labour are down three points to 10%, while Sinn Fein are down one to 9%, the Greens are up one to 6% and the PDs are unchanged at 2%.

Thirty-two per cent of respondents to the poll said they believed Mr Ahern had won his televised debate with Mr Kenny, with just 13% giving victory to the Fine Gael leader.

The Taoiseach's satisfaction rating was also up four points to 58%, while satisfaction with the outgoing Government was up five points to 52%.

The figures put overall support for a potential Fianna Fáil-PD coalition at 43%, the same as the combined support for Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour’s Pat Rabbitte will come together with their deputy leaders to highlight the vote transfer pact between the parties.

Mr Kenny will later visit the Dublin South, South West & West constituencies before travelling on to Wexford.

Mr Rabbitte will be campaigning in Clonakilty and Dunmanway with candidate Senator Michael McCarthy.

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen and Minister for Enterprise Micheal Martin will host a news conference on the economy, entitled The Choice is Clear.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will be canvassing in three north-western constituencies with scheduled walkabouts in Sligo town, Letterkenny, Cavan town, Monaghan town and Carrick-on-Shannon.

The Progressive Democrats will hold a news briefing to focus on the party’s policies to provide better healthcare for patients.

Green TDs Eamon Ryan and Ciaran Cuffe will be highlighting climate change while leader Trevor Sargent will be campaigning in Galway and Mullingar.

Sinn Féin chairwoman Mary Lou McDonald will set out the party’s policies on neutrality and international affairs.