Fine Gael rises again as FF slumps in new poll
Monday November 23 2009
FINE Gael's claims they can secure an overall majority are starting to look slightly less far fetched with an opinion poll showing the party's support level still rising to 36pc.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is still some way off being able to credibly claim his party can form a government on its own, but the party is continuing to gain ground.
The steady rise of the party will act as a deterrent to any rebel Fianna Fail backbenchers threatening to vote against next month's Budget.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen's party remains in the doldrums, down two points again to 23pc and with an unpopular Budget still to come.
The Labour Party dropped two points to 17pc, the Green Party went up two to 5pc, Sinn Fein are up one to 10pc and independents are level at 9pc.
Fine Gael has risen to its highest level of support since Red C began polling for the 'Sunday Business Post'.
On the current figures, Mr Kenny would expect to win a very minimum of 60 seats and to get a large bonus from transfers.
The party will need to continue to rise though to get into overall majority territory.
The omens are good for Fine Gael if there is a general election in the near future.
Before the November 1982 general election, the party also recorded 36pc in an opinion poll and went on to get 39pc of the vote, winning 70 seats, and entering into a coalition government with the Labour Party.
A similar outcome would be on the cards if the Government fails to get next month's Budget through.
Fianna Fail would be facing the loss of half the seats that it won in the 2007 general election.
However, the coalition is intent on seeing out the remainder of its term of office and going the whole way to the summer of 2012.
- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor
Irish Independent
