Exclusive Sunday Independent Ireland thinks Poll reveals small gains for Fine Gael as Fianna Fáil down in poll following ‘giveaway’ Budget
There has been a marginal boost in support for Fine Gael in the latest Sunday Independent Ireland Thinks poll but support is down for their coalition partners Fianna Fáil, while the Green Party remains unchanged.
The Coalition’s so-called giveaway budget has failed to return a budget bounce for the Coalition parties, with Fine Gael up one point to 26pc, Fianna Fáil down two points to 19pc and the Greens unchanged on 4pc.
The Social Democrats are up by two points and Sinn Féin has also seen a small surge of one point, while other opposition parties have also made small gains.
The failure to get a substantial poll bounce after the Budget will come as a disappointment to the Government parties amid increasing speculation on when Taoiseach Simon Harris will call the next general election.
He remains the most popular party leader on 53pc, with Tánaiste Micheál Martin on 50pc and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns on 40pc.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has made modest gains, up to 34pc from 31pc. So has Labour’s Ivana Bacik, up by 1 point to 33pc and Aonú leader Peadar Toibín at 33pc, up one point. Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is up too from 25pc to 28pc.
Even though Ms McDonald’s personal rating has increased, she is still more than 20 points behind the Taoiseach.
Three quarters of poll respondents oppose Israel’s military actions against Lebanese terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, with 14pc in support and 11pc saying they don’t know.
Over two thirds believe Kamala Harris will be the next US President, according to the poll, while an increasingly less number of people think Donald Trump will win the US election next month – 27pc believe he will, down nine from August’s poll.
Most respondents said they would like the Government to spend the €14bn Apple windfall on infrastructure projects (32pc), as well as fixing the health service (28pc) and building more houses (25pc).
Only 1pc believe the money should be used for more ‘giveaway’ budgets.
