Irish Republican News · October 8, 2004

Sinn Féin support continues to rise

A poll has shown a rise in support for Sinn Féin, which could hold the balance of power after the next 26-county general election.

According to the poll, Fianna Fail remains the most popular party at 35%, up two; Fine Gael is unchanged at 24%; Labour down two at 13%; Sinn Féin gains one point at 12%; the Green Party unchanged at 4% and the Progressive Democrats down one percentage point at 3%. Independents and other candidates, including the Socialist Party and the Worker’s Party, registered 10%.

When the results are analysed it shows that if the poll transferred into a general election result, then neither the current Fianna Fail/PD alliance or the putative alternative of Fine Gael, Labour and Green Party would be able to form a Government.

Satisfaction with the Irish Prime Minister now stands at 53%, and his Deputy in the Dublin cabinet and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Mary Harney also saw her rating increase to 54%.

Meanwhile, Gerry Adams remains as one of the more popular political figures of our day, with his most recent eight-point increase to 51%.

46% of voters are now happy with Enda Kenny’s performance as Fine Gael leader - that is the highest rating for the leader of the main opposition party since 1999.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte may not be happy with the poll finding as it shows the party’s core support is now level with Sinn Féin at 11%.

Voters are evenly divided on whether they would prefer the next government to be a Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition or a Fine Gael-Labour-Green Party one.

Some 31 per cent say they would prefer the Fianna Fail-PD combination, 31 per cent the Fine Gael-Labour-Green one; 23 per cent would prefer neither or a different combination of parties; and 15 per cent had no opinion.

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