Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are recording a major drop in support, according to the latest Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll. This follows the fallout from the nomination of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty to the European Investment Bank and the internal inquiries into payments to politicians.
Fianna Fail's support has dropped by six percentage points to 45 per cent and Fine Gael's by four points to 18 per cent, giving both parties their lowest level of support in opinion polls since the last general election.
A substantial majority of voters, 68 per cent, believe the Government was wrong to nominate Mr O'Flaherty as vice-president of the EIB, among them 61 per cent of Fianna Fail supporters and 83 per cent of Progressive Democrats supporters.
The opposition to this decision is reflected in the drop of 13 percentage points in the Tanaiste's satisfaction rating in the last two months. She now records the lowest personal rating, 46 per cent, since she became PD leader.
The poll was conducted among a national quota sample of 1,000 electors at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
The main finding of the poll is the slump in support for the two major parties, to the advantage of Labour, the smaller parties and Independents. The level of satisfaction with the Government is 48 per cent, down 12 points. Some 44 per cent are dissatisfied and 8 per cent are undecided. The state of the parties, excluding the 21 per cent undecideds, since the last Irish Times/MRBI poll in April, is: Fianna Fail, 45 per cent, down six percentage points; Fine Gael, 18 per cent, down four points; Labour, 13 per cent, up three points; PDs, 4 per cent, unchanged; Green Party, 5 per cent, up one point; Sinn Fein, 5 per cent, up two points; and Others (including the Workers' Party at 1 per cent), 10 per cent, up four points.
The popularity rating for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has dropped to 64 per cent, down five percentage points nationally over two months. The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, is the only leader who has increased his satisfaction rating, which now stands at 51 per cent, up one point.
Ms Harney's personal rating has dropped to 46 per cent, down 13 points nationally, 20 per cent in Dublin and 13 per cent among PD supporters. The level of dissatisfaction with Ms Harney is 40 per cent, including 17 per cent of party supporters.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, is recording a disastrous satisfaction rating of 39 per cent, down three points nationally. This is one of his lowest ratings since he became leader of the party.
Only 14 per cent of voters believe the Government was right to nominate Mr O'Flaherty to the EIB. ail support in opinion polls and the drop in turnout at elections,
MRBI estimates that if an election were held now the standing of the parties would be: Fianna Fail, 40 per cent; Fine Gael, 19 per cent; Labour, 16 per cent; PDs, 4 per cent; Green Party, 6 per cent; Sinn Fein, 5 per cent; and Others, 10 per cent.
