Fine Gael and Sinn Féin to be winners in Galway West – poll

Fine Gael and Sinn Féin look set to be the main beneficiaries in Galway West with John O'Mahony poised to make a successful transfer from his former constituency of Mayo.

A new TG4 opinion poll by Ipsos MRBI indicates Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív will top the poll. But his support of 13 per cent is lower than party's expectations.

The two outgoing Fine Gael TDs Seán Kyne and John O'Mahony are next. Mr Kyne, who is also based in Connemara, is almost running level with Mr Ó Cuív at 13 per cent and Mr O'Mahoney is on 11 per cent. With their party colleague Hildegard Naughton on 6 per cent, Fine Gael look assured of two seats if these results are repeated on polling day.

Final seat

Sinn Féin’s standard bearer in Galway West Trevor Ó Clochartaigh looks like he could secure the fourth seat based on these results. His support of 11 per cent should keep him ahead of the next best-placed candidates.

The fifth and final seat is more difficult to predict but looks like it could fall to an Independent. City-based Catherine Connolly is on 8 per cent, one point ahead of Noel Grealish, who has been a TD here for 14 years.

Outgoing Labour TD Derek Nolan is on 6 per cent, according to this poll. If this was repeated on Friday he would struggle to retain his seat.

The other two Fianna Fáil candidates, Mary Hoade and John Connolly, are both on 4 per cent.

The poll was conducted with more than 500 adults throughout the constituency from all demographic groups. The margin of error is such that late swing could affect the result, particularly for the last two seats in the constituency.