Survey in Galway West finds Molloy with highest satisfaction rating

The Progressive Democrats' Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Robert Molloy, has recorded the highest satisfaction rating of the five TDs in Galway West, according to a TG4/MRBI poll.

Mr Molloy, who is the longest-serving TD in the constituency, has a satisfaction rating of 67 per cent in the poll, which is being published by TG4 Nuacht over two days this week.

The results released last night show his party gained on his June 1997 general election share of first preferences, rising from 12 per cent then to 15 per cent now.

The results show a 64 per cent satisfaction rating for the sitting Fianna Fail TDs, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, and the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv.

Mr O Cuiv has the lowest level of dissatisfaction at 18 per cent, followed by Mr Molloy at 19 per cent and Mr Fahey at 24 per cent.

The voters sampled showed a 53 per cent satisfaction level with Labour's former minister for arts, culture, Gaeltacht and the islands, Mr Michael D. Higgins, while less than half of those surveyed registered satisfaction with Fine Gael's Mr Padraig McCormack, whose rating was 45 per cent.

A report on the TG4/MRBI poll in yesterday's editions said the Independent MEP, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, received 5 per cent of first preferences, and quoted Mr Jack Jones of MRBI as saying she could get 15 per cent once her candidacy was declared.

A spokesman for TG4 Nuacht says he misquoted Mr Jones, who had referred in an interview on the poll results to the possibility that Ms Scallon could double her first preferences once she declared.