Sinn Féin up in poll

Sinn Féin ‘not getting carried away’ with latest opinion-poll surge


Anton McNulty

Sinn Féin in Mayo have given a cautious welcome to the latest opinion poll, which put them ahead of Fianna FΡil for the first time and in line for significant gains in the General Election.
In last week’s Red C opinion poll in the Irish Sun, Sinn Féin were placed in third place with 16 per cent of the vote, compared to Fianna FΡil on only 13 per cent. The poll was commissioned following Sinn Féin’s impressive election victory in the Donegal South-West by-election and the confirmation of the €85 billion joint EU/IMF bailout.
Commenting on the poll, Cllr Rose Conway-Walsh said her party would ‘not get carried away with one opinion poll’ but stated that their economic recovery plan is getting a positive response from the public.
“Support for Sinn Féin has been growing steadily because we are putting forward a real alternative to the disastrous Fianna FΡil/Green Government. We won’t get carried away with one opinion poll result but it is encouraging that this latest poll reflects the victory of Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty in the Donegal South West by-election.
“That was a damning verdict on a Government that has wrecked our economy, sold out Irish sovereignty and is punishing low to middle income families. And all to bail out the corrupt banks and to please international speculators and money-lenders,” said the Belmullet-based councillor.
The poll showed that 25 per cent of people who indicated they would give their first preference vote to Sinn Féin were in the 18-34 age bracket, with 16 per cent of Connacht/Ulster constituents giving them their first-preference vote. Cllr Conway-Walsh said that Sinn Féin in Mayo would stand by people who are low paid, unemployed and those struggling with ‘massive mortgages’.
“This Government has turned democracy on its head. In their dying days they are trying to impose a savage budget, a four-year plan and an IMF/EU deal that will sell us into economic slavery for many years to come.
“We say there is a better, fairer way. Let the fat cat bank bond-holders take the hit. Cut out the waste of massive salaries for Ministers and top civil servants. Make the wealthy pay their fair share of tax, and invest in jobs to grow the economy, safeguarding our schools and hospitals and protecting people from poverty. That’s the real road to recovery,” she said.