Sinn Fein creeps up polls as McGuinness splits opinion

The former political wing of the Irish Republican Army crept narrowly in front of both the Irish Labour Party and Fianna Fail as its attacks on austerity measures imposed as part of a European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout struck a chord with voters.

The result will be seen as a big boost for Mr McGuinness – the deputy first minister in Northern Ireland – who is sitting in third place in polls for the Irish presidency.

It is the highest level of support Sinn Fein has ever received in an opinion poll for the Irish Times and the first time it has been the most popular party bar one. If maintained, it has the potential to have a dramatic effect on Ireland’s previously stagnant political landscape.

The poll showed Sinn Fein’s rating had jumped eight points since the last survey in July to 18 per cent. The Labour Party’s standing dropped one point to 17 per cent, whilst prime minister Enda Kenny’s centre-right Fine Gael party was down three points to 35 per cent.

Mr Kenny’s government, which swept into office in March, enjoys a record parliamentary majority and has impressed the markets with its adherence to its bail-out targets.

But a continuing slide in support for Labour, to the benefit of Sinn Fein, could cause concern among Labour backbenchers and make it more difficult to push through unpopular measures such as the sale of state assets and welfare cuts.

Although Mr Kenny’s popularity remains the highest of all party leaders in the country at 51 per cent, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams saw an increase in his personal approval, which now stands at 36 per cent, up 5 points.

Yesterday, Sinn Fein’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, a member of the Irish parliament or TD, said people were turning to her party because they felt betrayed by government policy forced through after the bailout.

She said: “Citizens the length and breadth of this state reject the austerity approach of this government. They reject the notion that ordinary working families should pick up the tab for the reckless actions of bankers and the mismanagement of the economy by government.

“They reject the hand-over of sovereignty to the IMF and the EU.

“Many citizens who voted in the general election for the government parties – the Labour Party in particular – feel utterly betrayed. People voted in large numbers in the hope of real political change, not a continuation of the failed policies of the previous Fianna Fail-led adminstration. Unfortunately that is what they are getting.

“Sinn Fein has said consistently that there is a political alternative. We have said austerity is not working, that the economy needs stimulus and that job creation should be the top priority for government.”

Michael D Higgins, the Labour candidate leading the presidential race, admitted Mr McGuinness’s campaign has boosted his party. He said: “I think it was inevitable that when Sinn Fein decided to contest the presidency that it would boost their figures. I think it was a tactical decision on their part.”

Yesterday’s poll followed figures on Thursday which showed that Mr McGuinness would finish third in the presidential campaign, but only narrowly behind Mr Higgins and independent candidate Sean Gallagher.

The poll showed Mr McGuinness on 19 per cent, with Mr Gallagher on 20 per cent, three points behind Mr Higgins.

McGuinness descrbied those results as “quite pleasing” with three weeks to go until the poll.