The Government, Fianna Fβil and the Taoiseach have received a substantial boost on the eve of the resumption of the Dβil, with an opinion poll showing a surge in their support.
Satisfaction with the Government has risen by three percentage points to 64 per cent since May, according to the poll. Fianna Fβil support is up two points to 51 per cent while the Taoiseach's personal satisfaction rating has risen five points to 70 per cent.
The results of the Sunday Independent/IMS poll, published yesterday, will be particularly disappointing for the two main Opposition parties. Fine Gael has fallen two points and Labour three since the last poll in May. Labour, fresh from its weekend conference in Cork, will be particularly dispirited at the poll results which also show the satisfaction rating of their leader Mr Ruair∅ Quinn falling five points.
The state of the parties, excluding those undecided, is: Fianna Fβil, 51 per cent, up two points on the last IMS poll in May this year; Fine Gael 22 per cent, down two points; Labour 10 per cent, down three points; Progressive Democrats 3 per cent, unchanged; Green Party 4 per cent down one; Sinn FΘin 6 per cent up two; Workers' Party one per cent, unchanged; and others 3 per cent, up one. The core votes of the parties were not published.
The personal satisfaction rating for the Tβnaiste, Ms Harney, remains unchanged at 59 per cent. Mr Ruair∅ Quinn is at 47 per cent, down five points. Mr Michael Noonan retains the lowest rating of 41 per cent, up one point.