Election is all to play for despite the polls

THE latest TNS/MRBI Poll showed an apparent recovery by Fianna Fáil from recent poor support levels and an apparent fall in support for Fine Gael.

Historically, polls have consistently underestimated FG support by about 3% and have done the opposite for FF. Elections over the past 20 years provide the proof.

Polls prior to the 2004 local and European elections indicated that FF would minimise losses while FG would lose further ground.

The results were quite different — FF (32%) lost 80 seats, returning with 302 local government members, while FG (28%) held its own, making some gains in a total of 294 seats. Labour also performed well.

FG and Labour now work together to run more than 26 local authorities across the State.

It is also inconceivable that these parties would do less well in the next general election than they did in June 2004.

The opposition is often accused of being fragmented and of having no policies. Both contentions are untrue. Fine Gael and Labour have produced several joint opposition motions in the Dáil in recent years; both parties have also published several comprehensive joint policy documents on issues such as health care, social partnership, etc, and relations between the party leaders have never been better.

Election 2007 is all to play for despite what polls might predict.

Mark Wakefield

Mercier Park

Turners Cross