Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny today said it was game on in the battle to form the next Government despite his party's poor showing in opinion polls.
Mr Kenny threw down the challenge as results showed support for Fine Gael had dipped slightly in the wake of last month's Budget. He refused to accept his party was losing ground. And he said the bottom line from the opinion polls was that if an election was held now Fianna Fail would lose 20 seats.
"The game is on and it's all there to play for and I don't underestimate the scale of the challenge," he said.
The Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion poll found the Government, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fail have all made substantial gains in public support in the wake of last month's Budget.
It revealed that a potential alternative coalition made no effective gain since the last poll in September, with Fine Gael support slipping slightly by one per cent although Labour gained two per cent.
Mr Kenny said the poll would have been swayed by the €2 billion spend in the Budget and the Dail having been in recess for the last six weeks.
"In the last three annual polls taken in January, Fine Gael's support has actually increased. And as I said the underlying trend, which is the important thing in the polls is for an increase in support for Fine Gael and Labour," he said.
"This is an indication that clearly this game is on and the challenge is their to be won and that's where we have to focus over the next period."
The state of the parties showed Fianna Fail at 37 per cent, up three points in the last four months, Fine Gael at 24 per cent, down one, Labour 16 per cent, up two, Sinn Fein 9 per cent, down one, Green Party 4 per cent, down one, Progressive Democrats 3 per cent, down one and others 8 per cent.
Mr Kenny said the public were looking for an honest, open and effective government.
"Unfortunately in two many cases over the last ten years that has not happened and the great pretence is that all is perfectly well under this government when clearly it's not," the Mayo TD said.
PA