Rip-off backlash hits Government support
Rip-off backlash hits Government support

Support for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fail party has declined dramatically, as voters blame the 26-County government for higher prices.

According to the latest Sunday Business Post/Red C opinion poll, just 32 per cent of voters surveyed said they would vote for Fianna Fail if there was a general election tomorrow - a ten-point drop from the last general election. That would cost Fianna Fail up to 20 seats and leave the party in opposition.

Support for Bertie Ahern’s party has dropped by five percentage points since the last such poll in March. The combined support of the government parties (Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats) is at 36%, while the potential opposition coalition of the Fine Gael and Labour parties is at 38%.

The combined support for Fianna Fail and Sinn Féin, a third possible option, is at 45%.

Almost nine voters in ten (89 per cent) believe that “rip-off Ireland” is a reality on a daily basis, and three out of four voters blame the government.

The survey comes in the wake of the popular Irish television series, Rip Off Republic, presented by Eddie Hobbs, which has highlighted the issues of government waste and public expenditure overruns.

The Corkman has been vilified by the Fianna Fail government following his emergence as a celebrity government watchdog.

Support for other parties is largely unchanged since the March poll. Labour remains at 13 per cent, Sinn Féin is at 10 per cent (up 1), the Green Party at 6 per cent (down 1) and the Progressive Democrats at 4 per cent (up 1).

Others are at 10 per cent (up 1).

The results of today’s poll will deeply worry Fianna Fail.

With a general election at most 20 months away, fewer than half of voters say that they would find another Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition acceptable.

A general election in the 26 Counties is expected within two years.

ÿØÿà Paul FaithZ. See PA story ULSTER Parade. PRESS ASSOCIATION photo. Photo credit should read: Paul Faith/PA.z   $.' 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