There is strong voter support for the continuation of the Government's public service decentralisation programme, although Dublin voters believe that it should be abandoned, according to the Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll.
Some 58 per cent believe that the plan to move 10,000 civil and public service jobs from Dublin to offices elsewhere in the State should be continued, 23 per cent that it should be discontinued, while 19 per cent have no opinion.
In Dublin, however, just 28 per cent believe that it should be continued, 43 per cent believe that it should not and 29 per cent do not know. There is also stronger than average opposition to the plan in urban areas in general, among male voters and among the over-65s.
The strongest support for the plan is found in Connacht/Ulster, where 78 per cent believe that it should continue and just 5 per cent believe that it should not, while 17 per cent have no opinion.
In Leinster, excluding Dublin, 74 per cent believe that it should be continued, 18 per cent that it should be discontinued, while 8 per cent have no opinion. In Munster, 63 per cent believe that it should continue, 19 per cent that it should not, and 18 per cent have no opinion.
Labour and Green Party supporters are the least enthusiastic about the plan. Some 65 per cent of Fianna Fáil supporters believe that it should be continued, 12 per cent believe that it should be discontinued, while 14 per cent have no opinion.
There is similar support among Fine Gael voters, where 56 per cent believe that the programme should be continued, 23 per cent that it should not, while 13 per cent have no opinion.
Among Labour voters, 50 per cent believe that it should continue, 34 per cent that it should not, while 16 per cent have no opinion. Some 60 per cent of PD voters believe that it should continue, 28 per cent that it should not, while 12 per cent have no opinion.
Green voters showed most indifference to the plan, with 39 per cent favouring its continuation, 26 per cent opposing it and 35 per cent offering no opinion.
Finally, 54 per cent of Sinn Féin voters believe that it should continue, 23 per cent that it should not, while 24 per cent offered no opinion.