Varadkar bounce gives Ireland's Fine Gael eight-point poll lead

World Sunday 17/September/2017 16:24 PM
By: Times News Service
Varadkar bounce gives Ireland's Fine Gael eight-point poll lead

Dublin: Ireland's ruling Fine Gael party has opened up an eight-point lead over its nearest rival, an opinion poll showed on Sunday, suggesting the minority government was seeing a bounce under new prime minister Leo Varadkar.
Varadkar, the 38-year-old son of an Indian immigrant, succeeded Enda Kenny in May as members of his centre-right Fine Gael hoped a young, straight-talking leader would propel the party ahead of main rival Fianna Fail.
Fine Gael secured the support of 33 per cent of respondents to the Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll, up from 29 per cent in July, while the opposition Fianna Fail fell five points to 25 per cent.
"All of this increase has come from those who were undecided about the Taoiseach (prime minister) in the previous poll," said Behaviour & Attitudes executive chairman Ian McShane.
In opinion polls taken before the summer recess, Fine Gael had mostly held only a marginal lead over Fianna Fail.
Varadkar's minority government relies on the backing of fellow centre-right Fianna Fail in key votes, under a deal due to last under October 2018, although many analysts expect an election to be called before the agreement concludes.
Fine Gael won 25.5 per cent of the vote at last year's election, to Fianna Fail's 24.3 per cent, leaving both well short of the support needed to form a coalition government.
Support for Ireland's third largest party Sinn Fein rose one point to 19 per cent in the poll.
Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail say they will not consider forming a coalition government with left-wing Sinn Fein after the next election.