Irish Times poll places Sinn Féin as main challenger to Fine Gael

THE HONEYMOON for the Fine Gael/ Labour Party Government elected in February last year looks like it’s over, a polling chief said after the Ipsos/MRBI poll published in today's Irish Times shows both parties losing support and Sinn Féin consolidating its position as the second most popular party in the 26 Counties.

Satisfaction with the Government has plummeted (down 14 points from October) leaving three out of four people (73%) dissatisfied with Fine Gael and Labour policies on the economy, austerity and jobs.

Sinn Féin support has risen 6 points to 21% while Labour loses 6 points and drops to 13% – even behind Fianna Fáil down on 14%. Labour’s Fine Gael partner in power holds its first place but also with a decline, slipping 3 points to 33%.

Support for the Independents (a category that spans the political spectrum from Left to Right) is up 3 to 17%. The Green Party doubled its support – from 1% to 2%.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams holds his position as the second most popular party leader with 29% ahead of Labour’s Eamon Gilmore and Fianna Fáil’s Mícheál Martin. Enda Kenny’s popularity is down 10 points to 42%.

Daily Star Political Correspondent Catherine Halloran said the poll “shows the twin disasters of the household and water charges” causing public support “leak away”, adding: “Satisfaction with the Government is in freefall.”

Gerry Adams told Newstalk radio that Labour have become a “mudguard” for Fine Gael and said this poll result comes after Labour’s annual conference “when most parties get a bounce from the publicity”. The Sinn Féin leader asked: “Labour is celebrating its centenary, 100 years – what has it achieved?”

The Sinn Féin leader told An Phoblacht that the big story from this opinion poll is the clear rejection by the public of the Government’s failing austerity policies.

“Austerity is not working. Citizens are hurting and this Government needs to listen.

“The significant and painful cuts to public services, and the range of stealth taxes, including septic tank “The dreadful social consequences of austerity are to be found in the numbers of citizens unemployed; the thousands of our young people who are emigrating; in every household struggling to pay rent and mortgages and household bills; on every main street where businesses are shutting down; and in every hospital and school where reduced resources are hurting the sick and the young.

“More than 100,000 households are currently in mortgage distress with 91 more joining that number each day. This is unacceptable.

“The government is making the wrong political choices, including decisions to implement Fianna Fáil policy and its support for the Austerity Treaty.”

He said more and more people are finding their voice against Government policy.

“The Government needs to change its policies.”