Ireland's main opposition party Fine Gael maintained a strong lead over its nearest rival Labour, the first poll taken since the government agreed to bring forward parliamentary elections showed on Saturday.
Fine Gael’s backing in the Sunday Business Post/Red C poll fell by a point to 33 percent, while Labour fell two points to 21 percent. The ruling Fianna Fail party, relegated to third place for some time, dropped one to 16 percent.
The poll showed independents were the main beneficiaries of the decline of support for the main parties, rising five points to 15 percent.
The left wing Sinn Fein party, which is campaigning to scrap Ireland’s 85 billion euro EU/IMF deal, continued to snap at Fianna Fail’s heels, but also dropped a point to 13 percent.
Fianna Fail’s former junior coalition partners The Greens — who pulled out of government last Sunday — also remain in line for an election drubbing and are unchanged on two percent.
Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who will not lead Fianna Fail into the next election, said on Friday he would seek a dissolution of parliament on Tuesday and announce the date of the poll, which is likely to be Feb. 25.
Were the results of Saturday’s poll repeated in the election, it is almost certain that the next government would be led by Fine Gael in coalition with Labour.
The poll was conducted on Jan 26 and 27, just as new Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin took charge but also as the tax rises from his party’s record 6 billion euro austerity budget hit voters’ pockets.
BIG LOSSES
When the 1,000 poll respondents were asked which of the main party leaders would make the best prime minister irrespective of party support, 31 percent chose Martin, 26 percent nominated Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, while 19 per cent said they preferred Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
"Fianna Fail is still on course to lose substantial numbers of seats in the election, but the popularity of new leader Micheal Martin suggests that a modest recovery in the party’s fortunes may be possible," The Sunday Business Post’s political editor Pat Leahy said.
Labour lawmaker Ruairi Quinn told national broadcaster RTE earlier on Saturday that a separate poll due to be published in the Sunday Independent would show Fine Gael on 34 percent, Labour on 24 percent with Fianna Fail on 16 percent.
The election was originally due to be held next year but following pressure from The Greens, Cowen promised to hold it once the finance bill, the last piece of legislation underpinning the 2011 budget, was fast-tracked through both houses of parliament.
The lower house passed the bill on Thursday and the Senate, or upper house, approved it on Saturday ensuring Ireland meets an important target of its bailout package.
