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A DIFFICULT WEEK for majority-led government party Fine Gael has just been crowned by a new poll which puts Fianna Fáil 11 points clear of FG.
The Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll puts Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s party at 21%, down 2 points from late January, while Fianna Fáil has surged ahead by 3 points to 32%. The 11-point differential is the largest gap between these two parties in the six years since B&A began polling them.
Worryingly for Fine Gael, polling for this latest snapshot ended on Wednesday, 8 February – the day Brendan Howlin used Dáil privilege to elaborate on allegations around the treatment of Garda whistleblower, Sergeant Maurice McCabe.
The poll will add to the pressure on Fine Gael and fears of a snap election piled on by the furore around the McCabe case this week, and the call by Sinn Féin today for a vote of no-confidence in the government. According to this latest poll, Sinn Féin have also added to its popularity and there is only a two-point gap between itself and Fine Gael.
The parties look like this in the latest Sunday Times/B&A poll:
The same poll shows Micheál Martin pulling away as by far the most popular leader of a political party – at 53 (+4), with Brendan Howlin and Gerry Adams on 39 each, and Enda Kenny adding a point since the last poll but languishing at 30.
It should be noted that the last poll undertaken on public preference for political parties was not nearly as dramatic news for the main groupings. The Red C poll published in the Sunday Business Post on 29 January still had Fianna Fáil ahead but at 27%, and Fine Gael just three points behind at 24%. Sinn Féin was at 14% in that poll.
An IPSOS/MRBI poll for the Irish Times on 8 December last had FF at 30%, FG at 27% and SF at 17%.
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Bertie’s been putting the feelers out for a while now. You can be sure this is a bandwagon he’ll get close to. You really have to question the Irish electorate if these numbers are true- have we learnt nothing?
lots of die hard old dears I reckon
It’s not that Ireland have an abundance of options for Government parties at the same time
Ontheway1, that’s the problem. It’s easy for some to say we get the government we deserve and people are stupid etc but where are people suppose to give their vote. Not many agree with the policies of AAA/pBP, Labour are still tainted and many people just won’t SF. It’s hard for centre voters.
FF could put a dog’s backside on the ballot paper, and there is a large % who would vote for it.
Let’s remember of course that FF are supporting their coalition partners FG to keep O’Sullivan in her role.
@Dusty Mooney: Massive “Enda Factor” at play here. All Micheál has to do is look like a non-lizard person and his party gains traction. Only question now is timing, he needs the most damaging revelations from the upcoming inquiry to be dropping at the right time.
Sinn Féin are trying to push that timetable to stop him gaining too much political ground, the independents will start flocking to the high moral ground fairly sharpish and all that’s left is to divide the spoils. Can’t imagine it going any other way unless there is a long play for Fianna Fáil here that I just can’t see.
Fecks sake, Stephen Donnelley is licking his lips.
Ff have no money to spend this time there will be no giveaway.if ff get into full power next time the people will deserve their medicine.
Totally agree Jane.
He fixed the roaaadddd!
@toon short memories by some people.
Well done Enda no one else could have rehabilitated FF so soon as your good self and you have also made SF look like a party to vote for. Well done sir….
And FF will cannibalise the Shinners in the next coalition government.
Some things never change.
If FF get 35% which is looking likely SF will continue to be in opposition along with FG and we will be back to a rainbow government. FF LAB SD and Greens.
Why would SDs go into govt with ff? Surely one of the reasons donnelly left for ff is because of how different Murphy and shorthalls views were from those of ff?
@JFN. Donnelly left the SDs because the party were stagnant. They only returned the the 3 seating TDs they had. He was going around the country setting up meetings trying to grow the membership. However he was lucky if 10 ppl showed up. After the next election it will be sink or swim for the SDs parties can not keep running away from government if they want to stay relevant.
@ Diarmuid, Now you see exactly what I mean. You are one seriously deranged person. Get help as quick as you can. You have to be the biggest stirrer on the Journal.
@ the FG monkey, funny you should say that, the DUP were under the same illusion………
@Diarmuid: Your right Diarmuid you never change a bit like FF/FG really and yet sadly we elect folks like you…..
FF policies had the country completely stagnating in the late 1950s. FF economic policy in the mid to late 1970s lead directly to the recession of the 1980s. FF policies virtually crippled the country in the early 2000s. I’m sorry, FF in my opinion have had enough chances.
@sean o’dhubhghaill:@sean o’dhubhghaill:mid 50′s mid70′s and mid80′s FG were in power it’s there doing that brought the recessions,FF reversed FG policy in the late 50′s and brought industry jobs and prosperity to this country
@Micheal Walsh Ken Whittaker had to point out to FF the lunacy of their isolationist policys. FF bought the election in 1976 by getting rid of local rates and the country has been crippled since. And as for the incredible stupidity of Bernie and his building spree!! The whole boom was based on borrowed money.
Your wrong Michael. Fg sorted it out the people voted back in ff and they took the credit. Every time this country fell to its knees ff were in power
In a democracy the people get the government they deserve, hopefully the people will use their vote wisely. I can not see this government last its full term! Even the Ministers may start getting twitchy about their pensions….
It’s full term? I’ll be shocked if they see Easter at this stage
I’m sorry, but if you support Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil at this stage it means you support labeling innocent people as child abusers. Fine Gael started this, Fianna Fáil are currently supporting it. They are both complicit. Both are sick and I would not want to even breath the same air as someone who supports such a party.
@brian
This may sound strange but what the alternative
@Jarlath Murphy: how in heaven do FF and FG still exist? Only in Ireland.
@ Duncan There’s a few other parties you can vote for, just seems that the voters of Ireland are afraid to step in to the unknown and so we see the same corrupt, inadequate couple of parties voted in time after time and the cycle of complaining by the general public continues.
Hard to believe people still switching from FG TO FF and back and forth I think the problem is the culchies! It should only be people in Dublin allowed to vote! Then we will get a proper government and the boggers can go back to kicking mud around a field and chewing straw!
How dare you, I’m one of those people you refer to, I take my politics very seriously, take a look at the way Dublin voted in the last election, I was always advised to vote for the man not the party. Being judgmental is not a nice trait in anyone.
Thanks for making my point Anne! It doesn’t matter if an election candidate is mother Teresa they still will be directed by their parties policies! He fixed de roooaad!
Yeah, I mean look how far-sighted and civic-minded Dublin City Council is. No wonder the city functions so smoothly
But that’s the issue – it appears that it’s step into the unknown with parties with partly thought out/unrealistic opposition style policies (we laughed/cried at uk for voting brexit without knowing what that meant) or vote for parties too small and without the geographical reach) to ever make a substantial difference.
I won’t be voting for FG or FF but no one else inspires me
Two words – Bertie Ahern!
@ Augustus Fair enough, I share your view, but look how badly this country has been run in to the ground by FF and FG. It’s easy to say the other parties have partly thought out policies, but FF and FG don’t seem to have any policies that make a positive difference to the country. Take a look at our rapidly crumbling health system, it took a TV show to point it out to them and get them to even comment on how bad it is and our brave taoiseach only seems to appear for a couple of months before an election before disappearing from public view in a puff of smoke as soon as he’s voted back in. We need change.
Anne I was just pulling your leg about the culchies being allowed a vote! Seriously though there is a lot of parish pump politics that goes on in the country!
How has Kenny’s popularity gone up? How?
@gearoid what a statement to make your county can be proud of you. Ha.
Meehole will be looking to bring down the government and make FF look like they have the moral high ground… which is beyond laughable, given their corrupt history. I’d rather shit in my hands and clap than vote Fianna Fail ever again.
Nice mental picture,thanks
Accurate picture though.
I swear people in this country have very short memory’s it’s not even ten years since the ripped this great country of our to shreads and brought thousands of people to there knees even caused people to commit suicide they should never get a sniff at government again FF are like a bad smell they will never disappear we as Irish citizens should hang our head in shame if these pr1cks get back into power
@kenneth your 100% right. How could people who went through a severe recession actually vote for those people and policies that caused it.
Facepalm.
And we laugh at the Americans for trump….
@Rehabmeerkat: after what’s transpired in this country in the last few days and the disgusting things that have seemed to have been going on. A lot of politicians here need to look real close at themselves before they start pointing their fingers at any one else. They need to pull their brass necks right in, Because they should be ashamed at what’s gone on.
Our politicians are shameless Littleone. Totally and utterly shameless.
Look at the choice, seriously other than FF and FG there just isn’t a choice other wise those two parties would be dead and buried long ago
There’s always a choice Jim. Anyone on a ballot paper who doesn’t have the letters FF or FG beside their name is a choice! Civil war politics should be dead and buried by now.
Unfortunately when you look at the others you really have much choice.
Can’t vote sf, aaa or pbp because they’re too left wing. Can’t vote labour because Alan Kelly. Can’t vote greens because they want more taxes. Can’t vote independent because they’re useless (see halligan and zappone). Only leaves the big 2 and social dems. And I won’t vote for Catherine Murphy (she’s my local td) because she lied about not paying bin charges.
To paraphrase a great post from earlier, I’d rather shit in my hands and face palm than vote FF again
Who tf is still supporting these tools!!!
Ah sure our family has always voted for fianna b0ll0cks….
Well would you look at that. SF on the heels of fg and this poll was done before everything that happened this week and the disgusting things that have happened.. another poll next week would be interesting depending on what ff now do.
We cant be this bloody stupid?!?!
FFS!!!!
FF adore Commissioner O’Sullivan.
Not only am I surprised ff are on 32%, I’m even more surprised that fg even made it to 21%. No doubt the only way is down from here.
A criminal organisation!
End of story!
SF?
Hardly surprising that FG are dropping since they showed their approval for lack of governance in senior Garda management when one of their deputies spoke in the house with a private email that had been sent to the commissioner to a journalist. Recent events make matters worse.
Yeah. That’s much worse than FF bankrupting the country.
I think we’ve seen that polls are a complete waste of time.
Hold your horses there Mark.
Green Thumb = Polls are a waste of time
Red Thumb = Polls are NOT a waste of time
Not really. Irish polls tend to be on the money. That aside, the majority of polls in the month running up to the Brexit vote had leave winning. National polls had Clinton ahead in the national vote by a couple of per cent, which was accurate. The theory that recent polling has been completely inaccurate doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
@Seán Donnelly: The last few times the polls have underestimated Fianna Fail’s vote.
The sooner they get back in the better. They will get the country booming again and I’m sure have learned a lot from past mistakes
@Padraic mc laughlin: You should do stand up. I’m pissin myself here
Total left vote is 31%. Disappointing considering everything
If FF support this behaviour they will certainly lose support,that’s for sure.poll was taken before these scandalous, criminal actions were revealed,I’m sure people are more discusted with fg.
The party of Law and order FG well it’s a funny type of law they want as they seek to nail a man and his family with scurrilous accusations.
Bring on an election
Im totally confused now because if an election is called I wont know who to actually vote for. FF …always said I’d never vote for them again after what they did FG …under Enda Kenny not a chance of voting for them after what they have failed to do. SF …AAA …labour and any other party not wasting a vote So that leaves an independent candidate and I think we’ll end up with another joke of a Dail.
And that’s the attitude, that leaves us always with FF or FG to form a coalition with someone,and we get screwed over because people have short memories, and there are far too many independent TD’s, who will sell out, personally I don’t like Independents, too small a voice and too many differing policies, but end up being relied upon to form a Government
Dublin bus , bus eireann , ireann road eireann, Garda , public servents , hospitals ,nurses , these alone are a massive mess that finegael created , then we have homeless , hospital waiting time , location for children’s hospital more of a big mess & all this since last April reckless behaviour from Enda Francis zapone could yet see the country go to polls lets face it kenny is clueless , Francis is sly & zapone is a fool for joining . More worryingly is that arrogance in finegael has trebled . We as a country can’t afford an election but may just be only solution like finegael keep going on how great things are realistically they aren’t as great as they say look the sheer lies this week who’s to say they aren’t milking stats over money the country has which lets face it looks to be sweet fa,employment figures just don’t add up , yet again house prices out of control , rents out of control . Fianna Fáil created this possible but by god finegael just made a big mess bigger .
Goldfish brain nation! No matter Mehole will muck that up when he supports FG when shinners table their motion.
If there is an election has to be FF and SF for next government….Can’t see in present economic climate the independents doing well…Mary Lou minister for health Gerry Adams minister for justice ……
Mary Lou , she wood have to be better than the last three. Reilly, Leo, Harris, he is an expert on everything roll him out all the time.
@John Scott I wouldn’t believe that. All talk no action. I think her favourite word is. RESIGN.
Mary Loo I think!
Only in Ireland could the party that led this Country into financial disaster be top of the polls. What is wrong with the stupid people of Ireland.
We are an embarrassment
This country needs to wake up to these g obshites, we are falling apart as a country and still these people are getting big wages and pensions! CORRUPTION ACROSS THE BOARD.
Up to FF when they fancy pulling the plug.. FG back down to their core vote. Less actually, some of their older voters have simply died off. The boost they got after FF crashed the economy gone now.. Shows their incompetence that they blew it so quickly.. So long as neither bunch of clowns have a majority (with LAB) then best we can hope for I suppose. Terribly sad for the country that is the best we can hope for..
They’ll sort out the housing shortage when they get back into power
Oh, more shoddy builds. Insulated solely with used brown envelopes. Yrs, bound to be some fresh activity on landbanks on a flood plain or near an undredged river, in a high-radon area, convenient to a pyrite quarry all right. Probably digging up the old asbestos tiles as we comment.
Should come in below the €67.5bn bill the left us with the last time?
Clearly the pragmatic and sensible policies FF are putting forward are finding favour with a larger and larger audience. Plus FF unlike FG know a society is more than just an economy
Hhhaaaahhhhaaaa….
You talk the talk Stephen, just like all the rest of the FF liars. It really saddens me that there are people out there with short and selective memories who either ignore or have forgotten that it was FF shysters who broke this country for generations to come. Shame on anyone who votes FF because a vote for FF is a rejection of our children’s futures. The unmerrygoround of FF/FG will it seems, continue. How utterly sad.
Andrew if only we had a decent alternative to the whole lot of them, sadly I think the country will stay on the merrygoround.
@Stephen Kearon:
Not sure if that statement is funnier before or after reading your bio.
The reality Andrew is FF policies in response to international recession delivered recovery, the shame is under FG it was an unfair recovery. If you want to talk about shame just look at those who vote for Provo apologists & thugs
@Stephen Do you remember Nov 21st 2010? Cowen and Lenihan on our TV screens telling us they’ve basically bankrupted the country.
If that figure of 32% is true, a significant proportion of our citizens have a severe case of amnesia and it’s terrifying.
I think Stephen had left the country with a lot of the die hard FF’ers! Back then.
Reality Stephen, really? The reality is FF oversaw the biggest economic crisis this country has ever witnessed. The reality is FF ignored all the warning signs. The reality is Bertie encouraged those who foresaw the crash to go and commit suicide. Answer me this Stephen Kearon, do you believe Bertie won that money on the horses or is that just an alternative fact? Here’s the reality Stephen, FF were a major contributing factor to this disaster for ordinary hard working people. But sure carry on with your whataboutery, “but Gerry this and Gerry that”, that’s all that matters to you and your ilk, keep the FF/FG carve up going, nearly 100 years and running. Sad.
Who the hell are these people who are voting for Fianna Fail? Stand up please so you can all be slapped! A party which was corrupt to the core and which twice almost bankrupted the country is now on the verge of getting back into power again. The mind boggles. I’d honestly prefer to see Sinn Fein in power. And that’s saying something! And yet we mock the Americans and wonder how they could all be so “stupid” to elect someone like Trump. Well we’re just as stupid over here, And don’t get me started on everyone in Kerry voting for the climate change deniers and drink drive supporting Healy Raes.
FF and FG have let the public services in this country go to the ground. The Irish people have for some reason just accepted it and continue to vote these people in. It’s time for the young people in this country to stand up and be counted. Just look at the state of our Health system and public transport. One would think there is a massive gap for a new political party led by young leaders with new modern transparent approaches and strategies. Something has to change quick.
We’re doomed!!!! People here are morons
Well mr kenny, congratulations on proving yourself to be the be the biggest gombeen in the country. You had it all but your incompetence and that of your partyhas proven beyond any shadow of a doubt how inept you really are. Well done, it takes a special kind of idiot to do that.
Fools Fianna fail IS Fianna gael
The boom is feeling boomier already.
Most who post here will recoil at this news. This goes to show that the journal commentariot is not representative of the mood out there. On anything. Ps I’m not a fan if this news either.
We get what we deserve. Replacing one corrupt party with another.
A lot of silly sheeple out there
Call an election now. Fianna gael are a spent force. They need to go.
Unbelievable! Forgotten but not gone.
Cowboys, Ted.
So the Journal is now stealing polls paid for by the Times before Sunday?
Speed the Plough vote Fianna Fáil
FF/FG slow bike race will be all over shortly and there will be carnage !!
This has got to be the saddest headline I’ve ever see. The rapist of society being
rewarded by the victims. Hold on now, maybe not everyone was damaged.
Damn sure of it in fact!! Monsters are made, you know. You don’t have to allow this.
Fine Gael are goosed
Wanting to vote for the centre ground is what the big majority of Irish voters have always done. If you want better public services, access to better education and housing for all, paid for out of taxes, including corporation tax, you should lean to the left, and do so for three or four consecutive elections so a strong centre left can become a reality, and their policies can be put into action. If you want things to improve in a flash you’re living in dreamland.
Useless poll.
Sunday times is hardly a fair representation of the electorate.
This Government could well last the full term!! FF may well be way ahead of FG – but if there was an election they will have 3 choices- a minority Government hopefully backed by FG leading to them falling in the polls, Government with FG leading to them dropping in the polls or Government with SF leading to them dropping in the polls! The fact they didn’t pull support for FG because of the Gerry Mcabe and whistleblower scandals and FG involvement shows that they are basically s h t I n g themselves at those alternate prospects or they are afraid of what the Garda commissioner/FG has on them!!
Sinn fein should get a clear majority and then call for a united Ireland. Then no more worry about a border anymore and the 2 old gargoyles that are fianna fail and fianna gael will be gone forever.Taoisach Gerry Adams and tanaiste Mary lou Mcdonald has a nice ring to it. Arlene foster could be minister for the gaeltaght Jeffrey Donaldson can be minister for foreign Affairs.Sure we’d be a great little country then.Cmon,it’s worth a try.!
There’s very little difference among any of the partys, all ineffectual corrupt gits. I blame unvouched expenses and the dail bar, that erodes any originality, individuality or ethics.
My mammy and my daddy said my granny and grandad voted fianna fail and my grandad drank in a fianna fail pub so I should vote fianna fail I believe sadly people just vote for who there parents voted for
I’m not a fan of Enda or FG, but do people believe FF would be any better in charge. And they can’t go alone. So who will join them in a a coalition or a rainbow government?
Steve from ennis voted for Mïchael for a while now.
Baffles the mind why people get there knickers in a twist about politics on this little island, when clearly they couldn’t give a shit about you.
It just shows how desperate people are and how truly awful FG really are that people would vote for FF, the party that brought generations of debt and misery on its own people. If you keep voting for such a bunch of crooks you will get the same result. What a shame Adams does not step down from SF, if he did it really would become a force to reckon with.Such a shame.
It doesn’t matter who we vote for cause is Merkel that runs the country. Maybe every citizen in the EU should be allowed to vote for the German Chancellor….that migh be fairest.
God help us all.
I think if there is an election u will c a big change them poles are only a snapshot
People have short memories. But if this is correct why aren’t they pulling their support for FG and go for an election?
FF to be the next party to lead Ireland. Now is the time we need people like Michael Martin and his front bench to lead the country .
In my view like a race to the bottom after they all jump off a cliff?
Despite everything, I’m still left convinced FG will get a third term. Relax, it’ll all be fine. Varadkar will get the leadership, return 65+ seats and we’ll all look back at these polls like Seán Gallagher’s premature peak in 2011. Only a scandal at the eleventh hour can destroy FF.
have your say