The TG4/MRBI polls in individual constituencies which helped to erode the leadership of John Bruton are also set to worry the new Fine Gael leader, Michael Noonan, in his first by-election outing next Saturday in South Tipperary. From the start, the polls have been bad for Fine Gael.
The first in Galway West showed Fine Gael struggling to hold a seat against the prospect of a Fianna Fail gain. Things were not much better for Fine Gael in Cork South Central. Things were better in Mayo thanks to the enormous vote-pulling power of Michael Ring.
The results of the South Tipp poll will be broadcast on TG4 in the middle of next week. Michael Noonan will not be getting much sleep until then, and perhaps not much afterwards.