Sinn Fein establish clear lead in opinion poll ahead of Irish election

 

FILE PHOTO: Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald in Brussels, Belgium April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish nationalists Sinn Fein have surged to the top of an opinion poll five days ahead of an election in Ireland that looks set to be a major breakthrough for the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army.

 

An Irish Times/ Ipsos MRBI poll published on Monday found support for left-wing Sinn Fein at 25%, making them a clear leader, with support for centre-right Fianna Fail at 23%. Support for governing Fine Gael was 20%.

 

The opinion poll found that satisfaction with the government had slumped, from 27% at the beginning of the campaign to 21% on Monday.

 

Approval for both Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and his main rival Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin also fell, with Martin's rating falling by three points to 30% and Varadkar's by five points to 30%.

 

Despite the poll, Sinn Fein are unlikely to emerge as the largest party as it is running only 42 candidates, which is around half the number of candidates being fielded by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

 

Sinn Fein would need to get almost all 42 elected to the 160-seat chamber to give it a shot at emerging as the largest party.

 

Getting such a return would be difficult for any party, analysts say. Ireland's proportional representation system also favours parties running more than one candidate in larger constituencies.

 

Earlier on Monday, Ireland's national broadcaster RTE reversed a decision to exclude Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald from a televised debate scheduled for Tuesday evening.

 

The broadcaster had planned to restrict the debate to Varadkar and Martin, the leaders of the two parties it considered most likely to lead the next Irish government based on empirical data.

 

(Reporting by Graham Fahy; Editing by Grant McCool)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-04

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Not a great thing for reunification

Good news...... Ireland on the way of reunification ????????????????????

Good news - now a hard border with Ulster.

3 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Good news...... Ireland on the way of reunification ????????????????????

Do you think? I'm surprised by your comment obviously being Irish. I do not believe these polls one bit, Southern Ireland has never wanted Northern Ireland and I repeat never. NI as a majority is more British than many places on the mainland. Being Irish you should know your own history however if you are an American wannabe then that explains your comment (so much innocent men, women and children's blood dripping from those wannabes). 

2 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Do you think? I'm surprised by your comment obviously being Irish. I do not believe these polls one bit, Southern Ireland has never wanted Northern Ireland and I repeat never. NI as a majority is more British than many places on the mainland. Being Irish you should know your own history however if you are an American wannabe then that explains your comment (so much innocent men, women and children's blood dripping from those wannabes). 

Being Irish what is wrong to unite what belongs together? 

Or do you really think that British occupation should last forever? 

(see German reunification) 

It's high time. 

When boyhood's fire was in my blood
I read of ancient freemen
For Greece and Rome who bravely stood
Three hundred men and three men
And then I prayed I yet might see
Our fetters rent in twain
And Ireland. long a province, be
A Nation Once Again!
 

Thomas Osborne Davis

23 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Being Irish what is wrong to unite what belongs together? 

Or do you really think that British occupation should last forever? 

(see German reunification) 

It's high time. 

Again learn your history and throw in some economics. The majority of NI are very loyal to The UK. The minority used terrorism mostly funded by delusional plastic Irish in America, hence so much innocents blood is on their hands. The British troops were sent to NI to protect catholics from reprisals however they turned of those who were protecting them "The British Military". In my opinion that is when we should have pulled out the military and let them get on with it but it would have been a blood bath but been over in a few months. Now for the economy Southern Ireland can't afford the North full stop and they are well aware of the troubles that they would inherit. The IRA/shinfane mafia will not just vanish overnight but expand to control the south. Your are living in cloud lala land if you believe it was ever about unification it was about mafia style control. 

47 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

Again learn your history and throw in some economics. The majority of NI are very loyal to The UK. The minority used terrorism mostly funded by delusional plastic Irish in America, hence so much innocents blood is on their hands. The British troops were sent to NI to protect catholics from reprisals however they turned of those who were protecting them "The British Military". In my opinion that is when we should have pulled out the military and let them get on with it but it would have been a blood bath but been over in a few months. Now for the economy Southern Ireland can't afford the North full stop and they are well aware of the troubles that they would inherit. The IRA/shinfane mafia will not just vanish overnight but expand to control the south. Your are living in cloud lala land if you believe it was ever about unification it was about mafia style control. 

BS. 

Similar situation in former Germany. One part poor, another arrogant wealthy. 

And though it's reunited. NI is an occupied part of Ireland. 

No reason to extend that crime. 

As there is a border now after Brexit between NI and UK it's quite obvious to establish this border.