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SUPPORT FOR SINN Féin has dropped to a level almost on par with Fine Gael, putting the two parties neck and neck as the government faces a decision on when in the next year to call a general election.
New polling conducted by Red C for the Business Post puts Sinn Féin at 23%, a drop of four percentage points since the previous poll in April.
Fine Gael, on the other hand, rose two points to 22%.
Independent candidates stayed at 19% while Fianna Fáil rose one point to 15%.
During its time as the main opposition party over the last four years, Sinn Féin has consistently polled well ahead of Government parties, but this latest slip could be a cause for concern for its members.
Sinn Féin is now receiving its lowest level of support since before the 2020 general election, according to the Business Post’s analysis of its polling, and is 13 percentage points below its record high of 36% in June 2022.
Political parties are currently out on the streets and on social media canvassing and campaigning ahead of the approaching local and European elections on 7 June.
A general election will need to be called in the months ahead as the Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Green Party coalition runs down the clock on its term – the question now is when.
Other results in this latest polling were as follows:
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Immigration is the hot topic… local people do not want bus loads of unidentified males dropped off into their areas in the middle of the night. Simple as that.
@Darren McCarthy: Yes, you must be very simple to ignore the fact that anyone who wants to claim asylum has to prove their identity
@Darren McCarthy: Actually, health and housing are the two main topics on the doorsteps. But you keep peddling your anti-immigrant rhetoric to the tiny percentage of people who believe that rubbish.
@Pat Hazzard:
That’s not true,and you know it! There’s hundreds if not thousands at large in Ireland who arrived with bogus ID or no ID at all!
@Anthony Curran:
And do you not think growing the population of the country by hundreds of thousands in the last decade..in what is a relatively small country..has knock on effects on housing and health,or are all these new arrivals living in tree-houses or caves?
@Jonn: 85% of asylum seekers arrived at Dublin Airport in 2023 with no documentation.
@Finn Barr:
That wouldn’t surprise me one bit,Finn, it’s common knowledge our border controls aren’t fit for purpose, and need a total overhaul!
@Darren McCarthy: That would not explain the apparent rise in support for FFG, who are responsible for any immigration level we do have.
So, apparently not.
@Pat Hazzard: There is a case in Cork at the moment where the presiding judge won’t accept jurisdiction of the case against a man who cannot be identified. Why you may ask. Well appears this “Gentleman” has 27 different names, with arrests in France and England. Even though he was finger printed his identity is a mystery. No paperwork has he, no I’d of any description. So how many more like him are here.
@Anthony Curran: can’t you adopt a few illegal ,ye lefties are all talk
@Darren McCarthy: hot topic but not the most important, this is where don’t people don’t get it. It’s a brilliant play by the Gov, as we all forgot about housing, health system, etc. Pure sheep.
@Chris: Turn the working class against each other. These clowns are too thick to realise they’re being played by those they should be turning their anger against.
@Anthony Curran: Polls show quite the opposite, immigration was the number one issue. Party hacks on here deflecting the reality of what’s happening in Ireland.
@Pat Hazzard: Incorrect, they don’t have to prove it, they can give any identity & their fingerprints & it’s then up to the State to follow up. If they are not on an Europol list then there is no information. Europol doesn’t have the data on all the African & Middle Eastern males entering here, so the State has no idea of who they are or what there background is. In the Courts in Cork last week was one recent arrival up on charges who had 27 different identities between the UK & France, the Courts couldn’t process the case as they had no idea what his real identity is. Irish people are genuinely concerned & this weeks alleged attack on a woman walking home alone from the Luas shows the type of individuals arriving here. We have enough homegrown criminals, without letting in more.
@SV3tN8M4: Irish Independent last Thursday-Local Elections 2024: What do you believe is the main issue for this local election?
Immigration 67%.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2024/local-election/elections-2024-poll-what-do-you-believe-is-the-main-issue-in-this-local-election/a455437151.html
@Pat Hazzard: How naieve you must be Pat.
How many people are deported after arriving into Ireland after “loosing” their documents between getting on a plane and arriving at immigration (un)controll.
I’ll give you a hint – it’s very close to zero.
@Darren McCarthy: Agreed. I genuinely don’t understand the political asylum process. Does an applicant just look at a world map and say – I was thinking New Zealand, then Germany caught my eye, but now I’m leaning more towards Ireland, I think it’s more me. Maybe its a bit like booking a holiday?
@Darren McCarthy: it’s set to continue what’s in power doesn’t care about public opinion in the slightest. Unfortunately serious crimes will have o happen first to a certain extent before its realised you cannot allow undocumented people in. It’s amazing how you need a passport to board a plane to get here and ferry but not when you set foot here absolutely amazing.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: The Greens, through ROG are primary responsible for the illegal immigration mess’s. Strongly assisted by the Labour Party, SF, Foreigners Before Irish, SD’s (and no, it’s not a disease), Workers Party (they haven’t gone away you know)
@Thomas Sheridan: The “illegal immigration mess”, if there is such a thing, is only a tiny fraction of the number of immigrants we have, and therefore only a tiny impact of the housing crisis.
A crisis which can be clearly laid at the door of FFG.
@Pat Hazzard: haha proof. An afgan bus ticket with a date of birth and seamus murphy on it. Ever wonder why any immigrant convicted of crime happens to have no previous convictions. Their real identity has been left waaay behind them. You’re so naive.
@Finn Barr: how did they get on a plane without documentation? No Airport will let you through security without ticket and ID.
@Darren McCarthy: Relax, soon enough they’ll be driving you home in the middle of the night and you’ll be drunkenly grateful to them for the low price
@Anthony Curran: actually that’s rubbish here in west cork most candidates no matter what party are saying asylum seekers are swallowing up our services regarding doctors schools housing so it is linked to health care ect
@Pat Hazzard: u try to get into another country with no passport and get back to us
@Darren McCarthy: no we don’t. Thornton Hall. Is not far from me in North County dublin . Neither is Ashbourne where developers are turning commercial buildings into so called Airbnb apartments for short term letting. Like for holidays ????
@Pat Hazzard: yes they should have proof . No identity no entry . Simple
@Dave Barrett: exactly
@Britta Flynn: they flush them down the loo when they get on the plane or when they get off the plane . All we are short of is putting an add on line in airports ferry terminal no I.D needed for IRELAND we will take you in .
@Britta Flynn: they probably have a bag full of different ones . We need your man back in the airport who was stop search seize . Your a spoofer
@Pat Hazzard: Ha. Seems your the simple one no they don’t
@Karen Marten: Good aul Bruce. What a man
@Thomas Sheridan: There should be passport checks for everyone before you leave the airport, or even the plane, if you’ve no passport you go back the way you came at the airlines expense, you wouldn’t leave an airport in the states with no passport and it’s beyond me how you can here, set up a decent airport immigration control that works.
@Anthony Curran: Hi Anthony, while immigration is certainly one of the hot topics on the doorsteps, the vast majority make it clear that they are not anti-immigration or anti-immigrants. Their concerns and anger relate to illegal immigration, and in particular the wholesale abuse of the international protection system, and the consequences of that abuse – in particular, the requisitioning of hotels and retirement-homes, and the imposition of demography-changing numbers of young men on small towns.
@Darren McCarthy: Immigration may be the “hot topic” in a few people’s minds but when you look at the polls, immigrants are just being used as a scapegoat to avoid dealing with issues like investment in Health, Education and Housing. With FG/SF/FF (Independents are totally self interest) way ahead in the polls, the anti immigration groups are only reinforcing the big boys avoidance tactics.
Nobody wants “bus loads” so stop ‘supporting’ FG/SF/ FF tactics.
@Finn Barr: Can’t get on a plane without valid ID which matches details on flight manifest. So all names, DoBs, nationalities, ages, etc. are known.
@Chris: dint think any one has forgotten about housing or the failed health system . Its affecting hundreds if not thousands every day. Why not offer modular homes to those living in hotels for years near schools and local amenities instead of men with no proof of who or what they are .And as for the health crisis we’ll no one will fix it as they next leader will blame it on the last rather than do some thing about it .
@Goo Eyes Delaney: It’s on the flight manifest.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: ”While it should be impossible to get on an international flight without a valid identity document, would-be asylum applicants may board an aircraft using a “borrowed” or false passport which they may destroy or return to their agent or trafficker during the flight.”
RTE, Friday, 12 Jan 2024.
@Jonn: if you look back 70years we had 0.11% of the world population, we now have 0.06% of the world population so technically we are growing slower than other countries, we have a relatively low population density also
@Darren McCarthy: Immigration is the great distraction, the Housing Crisis is the great problem. If FFG had understood the last 3 census reports they’d have noticed an exponential rise in our population and made preparations but they ignored common sense and now instead of resigning in shame they plot to divide us.
@Jonn: Every European country has the same controls. If someone arrives with no docs and claims asylum, you must assess their claim. Of course, the lack of docs will be raised in that assessment. What is your alternative that doesn’t contravene European law?
@Frank Cauldhame: are you seriously suggesting that the government is using immigration to distract us from their failing in housing policy? Even they aren’t that stupid
@SYaxJ2Ts: Have you not noticed that thats whats happening?
Surprised at you, it is a tactic used all the time by failing governments. Distract me your reply.
@Frank Cauldhame: what you are suggesting is of no benefit to the government, quite the opposite in fact
@Finn Barr: How many times in your life have you boarded an aeroplane without a passport or some form of ID? How many times have you entered the EU via an airport without a valid and in date passport? Have you ever attempted to get past passport control in Dublin Airport without presenting a valid passport? So, when you answer those questions honestly, how can you then honestly suggest that 85% of asylum seekers are arriving without any documentation. Lets cut out the made up BS. Any airline who allows a passenger to board an aircraft bound for the EU without a valid passport would face a fine of €1500 so they do not take chances. Asylum Seekers are pre approved by the DFA and travel with documentation.
@SYaxJ2Ts: No, its pure distraction and I’m not the only one who has identified this. You finally owned up to being a Fianna Fail supporter yesterday after years of pretending to be a Soc Dem fan which suggests a sly streak and someone whose word should be taken with a pinch of salt.
@Frank Cauldhame: try to stay off the gargle, Frank
@SYaxJ2Ts: So Kev, my comment triggered you into name calling which is something you claim to hate, funny that.
@Frank Cauldhame: I have no idea what name calling you’re on about. You need to grow up
@SYaxJ2Ts: Lol, your totally triggered. Why did you pretend you weren’t a FF supporter?
@SYaxJ2Ts: That’s what the government is doing. People focusing all their attention on and blaming the housing crisis, the health services crisis, and the cost of living crisis, on the arrival of immigrants in Ireland over the last number of years, prevents them from directing the blame towards the governments of the last few decades that featured all the current goverment parties
The small bit of blame that is being levelled directing at the government is for the influx of foreigners into Ireland, the government parties are attempting to present themselves as right-wing light, as the local and European elections approach, by ejecting Ukrainian women and children from a hotel in Drumshambo where according to locals, they are part of the community and by disposing of tents in Dublin.
@Anthony Curran: If you think it’s a tiny percentage than you are very much deluded.
They have abandoned their voter base and embraced wokisim.
@Gerald O’Reilly: Yawn. Wondered how long it would be before some cl own would mention the word “woke”. You win!
@Anthony Curran: you mentioned it yourself there Anthony and so Gerald gets the gold you get the silver and yes (woke) I am happy to take the bronze.
@Gerald O’Reilly: What bothers you so much about what you refer to as ‘wokism’?
That there might be people who simply want to be able to live their lives as they see fit?
You know, actual freedom to be who they are, that freedom always shouted about by the right wing.
Are you really that fragile that this upsets you?
@Gerald O’Reilly: tbf I’m all for woks. They’re proper handy for making a stir fry.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: You got perfectly described in a previous comment. The clueless turd who cannot be flush from the toilet.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: OK for everybody who doesn’t know what woke means,
Whatever it meant in the past it is now a polite way of calling someone a rhymes with punt
@Gerald O’Reilly: Wokism Haha what a joke If anyone is to blame for undocumented immigrants it’s Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil they have set the laws in Ireland since Adam was a lad.
@Gerald O’Reilly: What is wokism?
If what I have been reading is correct and FF and FG have the levels of supports the polls suggest or even close there is no hope for this country. And I mean that.
@gary oconnor: it shows that the current Govt will thankfully be returned, meaning continued economic growth and no threat to democracy.
@Pat Hazzard: We’re a wealthy country with a sh it health service and a sh it housing policy. FF and FG have failed. Time for change.
@Pat Hazzard:
On the basis of these numbers the government parties add up to 42%, more than 8 points down from the last election having lost a fifth of their support.
Absolutely no way you can spin that as a win.
But,
They may be able to cobble together a government along with another small party and/or independents, a significant improvement on their position a year ago when that was looking very unlikely.
@Anthony Curran: and who will manage that change. Take a look across the options other than those in the driving seat at the moment. The talent pool is very shallow. Some of them have dubious backgrounds and some are nothing more than super County councillors. I weep for the future.
@Pat Hazzard: it also means that generations to come will be living in tents because the housing won’t be there it isn’t there now. I don’t want to have to watch my kids emigrate,I’ve 2 brothers working flat out full time and still at home can’t afford to move out and are considering emigrating. That needs to be addressed immediately. Immigration must stop until supply can meet demand its common sense.
@Paul Murphy: I don’t know if you’re right Paul. What I do know is that voting back in the same people who couldn’t organise a p!ss up in a brewery just tells said people that we think they’re great p!ss up organisers. SF may or may not improve things. But voting in a FFG coalition will only lead to a further stagnation in Irish politics. Just look at Westminster to see what that looks like.
@gary oconnor: no hope Gary!!! Where would you like to live then and what model would you copy? England, America, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine???
@Anthony Curran: In the UK they had 20 yrs of net immigration (many millions) and a tripling in house prices. It was fake economic growth.. We’re getting a taster here and the people are already demanding a re-think; it’s far more dynamic here.
@Anthony Curran: difficult to argue with that. The working class turning on SF for some imagined open borders policy will ensure FG and FF will continue to hold power.
@Pat Hazzard: “thankfully will be returned” if the economic growth is so good, why has this heinous gov closing down 70 Nursing Homes, kids with disabilities have no school places or can’t obtain services, kids becoming paralysed under this gov because they can’t get life saving surgeries, businesss across Ireland are closing down, tourism in the toilet, young people are leaving the country because they have no future, tell that to the people who can barely afford to pay their bills or find a GP/ dentist. Ireland needs to get rid of this heinous government.
There’s only one poll that counts and that’s the general election. I really hope we get a government without FF or FG next time. Let’s see if a Sinn Féin lead coalition can do a better job on housing and health than FF and FG have. And in all fairness, it shouldn’t be too hard to achieve that objective given the disastrous nature of the present government’s efforts.
@Anthony Curran: sinn fein are soft on immigration and their lawsuits on journalists won’t do them any favours. I personally think we will have a very similar government after the next election.
@Anthony Curran: a Govt run by the Shinners is a Govt that will destroy investment, jobs and democracy itself. Current Govt has delivered unprecedented levels of new homes (18,000 commencements last month alone), full employment, reducing waiting lists etc etc and is one that stands by democracy.
@Pat Hazzard: Pat, this kind of antiquated scaremongering doesn’t work anymore. This govt have been an absolute nightmare regarding health and housing. A hospital billions over budget and record numbers of homeless. Way to go FF and FG.
@Anthony Curran:
“There’s only one poll that counts”
The refrain of every party since polls began that was losing ground.
FFG activists have been spouting it for most of the last four years, now it’s SF turn
@Pat Hazzard: homes that are 2500e to 3100e A month to rent off American English German investment funds no good to the Common Man on average 2100 income a month
@Micheal Sutcliffe: average wage is 47k per annum, which is 3916 a month
@Pat Hazzard: yay, that leaves the Average wage with 816 euro to pay everything else for the month after paying their rent, slow clap, well done ff/ fg
@Pat Hazzard: the health service is absolutely broken. Those not on high salaries don’t have a hope of buying a house. Fg are the party of vulture funds.
@Pat Hazzard:
Reduced waiting lists?? Have you been inhaling your own farts again,Pat, there’s definitely something clouding your thinking? Change of diet might be worth a try?
@Pat Hazzard: so you saying av pay a week in 936
@Anthony Curran:
“A Sinn Fein lead coalition”!! Is that a deliberate pun,Anthony, if not it should be!
@Pat Hazzard: you are so far to the left, you could disappear up your own h.le
@brian madden: health service isn’t broken, plus the Help to Buy and First Homes exist to assist those on average wages to purchase their own homes, all of such schemes the Shinners want to abolish.
@Pat Hazzard: “the health service isn’t broken” would you cop the F on lad please. Open your F eyes to reality. Walk into any hospital and you will see for yourself. Jasus man
@Pat Hazzard:is this the exact help to buy scheme which even ff/fg say is flawed and needs working on? Joke of a scheme that has people living with their parents for years up and down the country just to get a few bob together for a deposit to buy a place, and even at that you might not qualify
@Pat Hazzard: the health service is broken. Look at limerick hospital. I am not speaking about sinn feins policies. I’m talking about the current government and their failure in housing and health.
@Pat Hazzard: €3042 oer month. You can’t just make up figures Stephen. FFS.
@Pat Hazzard: “The health service isn’t broken” says Pat. Tell that to all the children with scoliosis who are waiting years to be operated on.
@Pat Hazzard: wow,you are outta your box dude health service isn’t broken”…. don’t get me started, you are completely deluded. I love the auld average wage number mangling of 47k aswell. Well done blueshirt,you won the bingo FFGG game.
@Pat Hazzard: is it Holmes or tents your referring to
@HisMastersAlibi: I was in hospital a few months ago for alomst a week, recieved excellent care, had all necessary scans done, pumped full of relevant medication for 6 days, and all for free. Get out and put on a high-tech treatment, which costs me a fraction of the price it should do as its highly subsidised on the Drugs Payment Scheme. Nothing broken there, and a hell of a lot better and cheaper than a lot of other countries. Its all relative. And it definitely has its failures, but the entire system is not broken.
@NotMyIreland: your lucky so, I was in hospital just over a week ago and my experience was the complete opposite to yours
@NotMyIreland: good for you, there is not enough space for me to give the many examples of disastrous encounters I’ve had over the past few years. One example is waiting on an operation to free up my breathing,2 years so far,still waiting,still no sleep at night,still n pain. But I’m glad you got seen to,feck the rest eh !
@HisMastersAlibi: no as I said it has its failures but its not an entire broken system, that’s all.
@Pat Hazzard: only about 33000 short per year while they bring in more people and no waiting lists have not come down 253 people died on trolleys governments don’t create jobs this from fg itself and new hate speech laws don’t promote democracy
@Pat Hazzard: 47k per annum gross, what’s the net number? you can take ten grand off that.
@Pat Hazzard: I think you will find that average take home pay is less than e3916
@NotMyIreland: ill agree to disagree with you.
@Pat Hazzard: which waiting lists have they reduced.
@Pat Hazzard: stop lying, government haven’t met their own targets on housing, scoliosis effecting children on list for years, life changing ops needed, a not the odd knee or eye op. Failing our children daily.
People with disabilities in nursing homes for old people.
No housing for the disabled.
Most effected my health and housing, and discrimination by this government. People sent a clear message in referendums, that this government has failed the disabled community .
Carers means tested on gross income. Disgraceful.
How can anyone say this is acceptable and they are doing a great job. That’s only two sections of society. Children’s hosp still same, worries for families, no staff, wrong place to build. And we can see chi are not fit for purpose, look at scandal with doctors .
@NotMyIreland: my 18 year old special needs,son signed himself out of hosp, as it was dangerous the treatment he wasn’t getting, I changed beds and disinfected everything myself, cut up food, for a 92year old blind man, who couldn’t see what he was eating therefore didn’t bother.
Thanked me as I told him using the clock where everything was on his plate. It took seconds, but made a huge difference to him,also gave him my phone to call his children, as no one thought he might like to talk to them.
It’s not all about treatment but humanity, and communication.
Which is broken in our health service. And when consultants and nurses say get your child out of here, you listen.
Phew,thank God for that. Hopefully people are starting to cop on to them and their non realistic policies. People say give them a chance but no thanks, I want to keep my job.
@Mark Leonard: Your job won’t go anywhere Mark. Wanting a public health system that actually works and wanting to build more social housing aren’t unrealistic policies. They should actually be the bedrock of any property functioning society.
@Anthony Curran:
Agreed the anti SF activists are all over this with their silly one liners.
The health service might benefit from a different approach but no easy task.
But one thing I wanted to say, neither SF, FF FG or anyone else are going to increase the number of houses being built in Ireland,
Because they aren’t enough builders and none of them are going to magic them up.
I work in the sector. Regardless of who is in government, house building will soon start to drop.
Not enough builders.
@P. J.: The primary reason for no builders is down to the lack of apprenticeship programmes in the country over the past 20 years. There is no real encouragement for the increasingly work shy young people to enter a trade and too many obstacles to employers taking them on the jobs
@Thomas Sheridan:
Sorry Thomas, don’t agree.
The lack of apprenticeships is often down to demand. Young lads don’t want to know about building, especially the wet trades.
My young lad, doing the leaving in a couple of weeks, is doing construction as a subject. His school used to have up to 50 doing it, now has 12 and in the opinion of my son, most won’t pass it. (It’s his favourite subject).
I don’t blame young lads for not wanting to do it, they seen their uncles and fathers get absolutely screwed in 2008 after the crash, couldn’t even get the dole, where they had to leave or if lucky, retrain to something else.
Those young lads want a laptop or at best becoming sparks where there is the option of becoming a fitter in somewhere like intel if necessary.
What does a block layer do?
@P. J.: Best of luck to your young lad. My comments came from talking to people running the apprenticeship programme. One of the problems being that it’s too much hassle to employ an apprenticeship, the other is that we’ve lost the will to do hard work.
Lots of blocklayers / plasters did it for a few years before moving on to easier work in the building trades.
@Thomas Sheridan:
Fair enough.
I won’t comment on the hassle of employing an apprentice, I simply don’t know, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Don’t know if I would agree on willingness to work, if you were given the option of working a trowel or working a laptop for double the pay, you can’t really blame them.
Fully agree, about plasterers, block layers moving on, that is the normal progression in the trade but I was referring to if there was a collapse in construction like 2008, someone like an electrician has more options, hence I remember reading that at one stage a few years ago for every one plumbing apprentice Ireland had, we had 12 electricians
Mary Lou should resign as leader. Sinn Féin will not be in power with her at the helm, especially with their open borders ideas. Are they so blind that they can’t see that the huge majority of people in this country will not accept this invasion of most male migrants pouring over from NI? They need to lose Mary Lou and any other mass migration advocates
@GE Zall: People saw them as an alternative but their true intentions were exposed in the Referendums & recent flip flops. The fact that despite 74% of those Irish voters voted No, SF advocated for a Yes vote & Mary Lou said she would even rerun it to get a No vote. They speak with forked tongues on Hate Speech legislation & Immigration but will be worse than any of the Far Left in relation to both. David Cullinane & Mary Lou have clearly stated that there would be no cap on the numbers arriving here. People want change but SF are not going to provide that & the Referendums & Immigration stance are clear proof of that. Irish people don’t see any alternatives in Dail Eirinn, it will take people power to wrestle control back of our country.
I must say, I’m really enjoying the Sinn Fein implosion. They could do a sponsorship deal with Oceangate.
@honey badger: I must say I love seeing all you anti SF brigade suffering the reality that they could possibly be in with a shot this election, I’m by no means a supporter of them but it’s hilarious to see all you panicking and bashing them whatever chance you get. As if you are going to influence people lol. The reality is no matter what you guys or the media say or do, SF are the ones with a serious shot this election
@honey badger: Says the one who supports crimes against humanity.
@CP: ” I’m by no means a supporter”
Proceeds to use the same soundbites as every other SF supporter. That mild paranoia at the end, though… *chef kiss*
@CP:
I’m not a Sinn Fein supporter, as you might have noticed,but I’d be happy to let them have a try after the next election, if they’re the biggest party,if only because it would mean a break from Harris, Martin, McEntee,O Gorman and the rest of our current chamber of horrors posing as a government!
@CP:
They absolutely have a shot in the next election but you have got to admit going from 36% to 23% is not a good look .
Bottom line, They have run 2 candidates in each European constituency (something they were lambasted for not doing in the last GE) but now if the SF vote splits evenly in any of the 3 constituencies, neither candidate would be elected.
That’s the difference between 36% and 23%.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Unable to refute the catastrophic decline in SF support, this bewildered and tearful shinner lashed out in impotent rage. Hilarity ensued!
@P. J.: agree 100%, will be interesting to see how it goes
@honey badger: look in the mirror Hun if you want to see a catastrophic decline in support all you have to do is look at the current government who you seem to think are doing a great job.
@CP: Can you point to where on the map my enjoyment of Sinn Feins implosion hurts you the most? :)
@honey badger: Nice try at deflection.
Again.
That’s all you have.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Your clumsy ad hominems are very entertaining. Tell us another one! :)
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Old badger Is clearly not the fizziest drink in the fridge
@honey badger: Ha!
It is you that make personal attacks on me, because all you have are these and attempts at deflection, of which this is another example.You have nothing else. Nothing with which to explain your support for atrocity.
Let us all hope for the time when those who support appalling crimes against humanity are themselves held to account, just as those Nazi propagandists were.
I
@CP: No.
Our honey has nothing left.
All honey’s arguments in support of the atrocities of isreali colonist have been comprehensively defeated.
All honey has had for a long time is deflection and personal attacks.
But although honey has to realise that there is no justification for the existence of israel, that all the death and suffering in the region comes for that, that what is being done by the isreali to the Palestinian would not be acceptable if done to any other people, honey still supports this.
Which is incomprehensible.
Unless honey might be a racist, a bigot.
I have asked honey about this.
I have asked for an explanation that would not be racist.
Honey has been unable to supply one.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Jaysus, do you not get bored writing the same groundless bs over and over?
One of us had several bigoted comments removed by moderators yesterday. It wasn’t me. I fear you’re accusing others of what you’re guilty of. A classic blindness common to zealots like yourself.
Green party getting votes? After all the evil and damage they did with taxing our food cooking, our house heating and our commute to work made into a one traffic gridlock?
Seriouly, who are these brain dead people who vote for that rubbish party???
@Termaz FX: Agree that any government should be without the tax party. I see they want to introduce another carbon tax for airlines. Their favourite tax is not stopping climate change, just burdening the Irish. Who is voting for these ?.
@did you every wonder: People who can afford it.
As usual media trying their best to influence result.
People are finally copping on that the shinners are all talk and no substance. Will always be just a populist party with an agenda that simply involves opposing whatever the government wants to do.
Vote independant and nationalist, teach these machiavellian gangsters a lesson. Our country is being destroyed by all these lunatics.
@Eric Gaffney: nationalists? Are they the ones that wrre looting on the streets of Dublin last November?
@brian madden: No Brian, they were criminals, as was the man who stabbed that little girl. He won’t be running for an election either but I guess you knew that already, because to think that would be stupid.
@Eric Gaffney: I would rather bow down at the feet if fffg than vote in nationalists.
@brian madden:
No Brian,most of them were just thugs on an opportunist spree. But let’s have the Shinners instead , at least they have a spotless clean record when it comes to setting fire to things and wanton destruction!
@Jonn: thugs on an opportunist spree? Sounds just like nationalists to me
@Eric Gaffney: The Nazi party SA were criminals too.
They didn’t run for election either.
@Jonn: I won’t be voting shinners or nationalists. To be honest, I have no idea who to vote for.
@brian madden:
Just hold your nose and pick the least worst option!
@M To The B: then you will be a minority in 10 years
Don’t believe all you read in the polls. The real poll will reflect the true feelings of the electorate with what’s going on in the country.
@Dave Barrett: I think Nigel Farage said something similar across the water, before he got zero seats.
1. That’s what happens when you states refugees should have medical cards, one Ireland, etc..etc.. No one wants that as a priority when other matters should be attended to.
2. If they were focusing on the real problem like Pearce Doherty does, they would have more support.
3. European election are increasingly important and especially what European group your candidate relies to. Politicians have copped on the habit to justify that nothing can be done or very little since it’s an European directive here and there.
4. Very little people care of European group but that’s where most of the directive, and consequences, come from.
What about Independents , aren’t they at about 20% ?. Anyway , I don’t give much heed to these polls, I have never been asked and I have never spoken to anyone who has been asked .I quite sure they don’t travel too far to ask questions anyway .
@Eugene Comaskey: so? 5m population with a typical sample size of 1000-1300. You must be a Shinner with such poor maths.
@Pat Hazzard: it’s not possible to prove asylum seekers identity, as you stated above.
85% of them arrived at Dublin Airport last year with either fake or no documentation at all.
Fingerprints can only be checked from the time they arrived in Europe.
They could have a rap sheet the length of your arm.
@Finn Barr: No identity, then no asylum application. No asylum application, then no state supports.
@SYaxJ2Ts: What happen to an asylum claimant that simply has no documentation, no identification?
Surely there must be many such genuine cases?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: then the state needs to work harder to discover the true identity – interviews with claimant, contact with local country authorities etc. It is in the claimant’s interest to cooperate with the process, but it obviously does make the process more difficult, particularly if the claimant is genuinely fleeing persecution in their home country
@SYaxJ2Ts: Yes. but the point is surely that this idea that no id means no asylum claim is not correct, right?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: no, it is correct. You need to disclose your identity when applying for asylum, and this disclosure will be checked
@SYaxJ2Ts: There definitely would be genuine cases where the applicant had no id(eg fleeing a war zone where their homes were destroyed before they could get their documents, if they had any to begin with), however, if they have arrived in Ireland off their own bat then they would have needed id to board either the plane or ferry so they should have it on the other end of the journey as well.
@SYaxJ2Ts: your preferred identity. Theirin lies the problem. No way of validating from Afghanistan or Syria or many other countries.
Sinn Fein is reaping what it sowed it backed the government for a yes yes vote in referendum and it’s leader went even further declaring she would run the referenda again if defeated,,,,, out of touch!!!
We’re only 2 weeks out from the elections.
We will soon know what the true levels of support for the parties are.
And we will soon know how accurate Red Sea polling is. Their polling on the recent referenda were laughably inaccurate.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: 2 weeks from local and European elections, not Dail elections.
@Pat Hazzard: How does that change what I wrote Pat?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: because voting patterns in both don’t carry forward to general elections.
@Pat Hazzard:
You are right Pat, local election patterns don’t tend to follow through.
Just like in 2019 SF had a disaster at the local and European elections (the reason they ran so few candidates in the following GE) only to zoom up in popularity for the following GE months later……
Are you hoping the same will happen for SF again???
@Pat Hazzard: Are *you* now saying that Red Sea polling is not accurate?
That the support it shows for the parties will not reflect in the support they actually get?
If so, why?
Are the tidings you are getting on the doorstep not matching your hopes and dreams?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: People vote differently in local elections compared to general elections. Like in my area, you wouldn’t hear from the local FG or SF councillors until the election, but the FF one is always around, not just during elections.
@Daniel Roche: Again, how does that change what I wrote?
Are you saying that the polls have no validity?
That would not change what I wrote either.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Actually, I would say Red Sea polls don’t represent society in general.
In order to be polled, you have to sign up and then be subjected to an endless torrent of polls on banking, insurance, and everything except politics.
Got to love how every SF article has comments open but anything in relation to current government has a mostly closed comments section. So obvious Journal.ie. ha
@HisMastersAlibi: The EU has pumped alot of money into the Journal, they’ll bat for whoever pays.
Reality for two people working with good jobs & just surviving & have adult working children at home who can’t afford the exorbitant rents & can’t get Mortgage approval to the level of house prices, we are paying excessive prices for our insurances, energy, fuel & groceries & no light at the end of the tunnel. Crime in our area is out of control & the frustrations in our community as we have every available hotel & b&b hosting IPA’s & Ukrainian,’s, who get pps no’s, social welfare, medical cards, food allowance, transport, pet care, utilities paid,education grants, you name it it’s paid out. When the working Irish man & woman express their frustrations, their labelled Racist & Far Right by all parties in Dail Eirinn. NO PARTY in Dail Eirinn is worth voting for including Sinn Fein.
I am currently canvassing each night for a candidate in the local elections. From what I hear on doors, people are tired of the same councillors being elected from FF, Labour. In the last 4 months or so I have not heard one person saying they will vote Green. The same candidates are getting in each term and people are now questioning what have they actually done for our community. From what I’m hearing FG are really struggling. Voters are worried, they want fresh faces, a new outlook, fresh ideas. SF seem to be the choice. This is what I’m hearing in my area.
@Sarah Behan: What party are you canvassing for? In the interest of full disclosure.
@Sarah Behan: What are people saying about this flurry of “independent” or right-wing groups that have sprouted recently?
Are the SDs getting any traction?
Anything else you notice that is unusual?
Where are you canvassing?
If Mid/NW, how does Ming seem to be doing?
If Dublin, Clare Daly?
Are any of the ‘wingnuts’ being mentioned?
@Sarah Behan: I agree re Greens, but middle class estates are overwhelmingly supporting FG and FF, as they understand the dangers SF present to the economy and our democracy.
@Pat Hazzard: Yawn. Pat, we get it. You don’t like Sinn Féin.
@Pat Hazzard: You could give the “lying for jesus” outfits a run for their money.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: i don’t see a big interest in ind where I am. I’m seeing a mix of new candidates and candidates being voted for. SD are established here and Lab. FF are here but people don’t want them They want SF, Labour. Sure who knows what will happen
@Pat Hazzard: Not in my area. Most are going SF and Labour and SD and want FF FG Greens out. I’m northside Dublin
Sinn Fein are not in government so can hardly be blamed for the state of the country and if the got in next term couldn’t be any worse than the present clowns who teamed up together to keep Sinn Fein out at last general election
@5aeex4zc: just as long as they don’t flood the country with Palestinians.
FFG flooded Ireland with Ukrainians, without the infrastructure to support them.
Look where that got us.
@Finn Barr: Palestinians No
Ukrainians yes
@5aeex4zc: SF had plenty of opportunity to form their own coalition Govt following the 2020 election, but made no serious attempt to do so. The coalition Govt has majority Dail support, that’s how democracy works.
@Pat Hazzard: Now you’re just telling outright porkies Pat.
The electorate is no longer blinded by the populist, superficial sheen of the Shinners, not to mention the related flip-flops!!!
4 per cent voting for the Green’s OMG
@Bernard Connolly: how did that happen costello the green td just got taken apart on the gazza question by former minister for justice Alan shatter
Most people keep their political views to themselves even when talking to canvassers. Actually, most people will temper their views depending on who they are talking to, whether in work or the pub. So polls, I would not trust.
That said, what I here is this: people who previously would have voted SF now see them as Sharia Fein, and fear they will flood Ireland with Palestinians. FG and FF are viewed as having had enough time to sort out the country’s problems and have only increased those same problems: housing, health etc.
Greens are only supported by their core supporters, as are LAB, SBP etc.
Independents seem to be gaining support.
However, that support might play into FG, FF hands.
@AnthonyK: I completely agree with you.
Mary lou is the best thing since sliced pan for FFG , any party that supports what’s happening too every community as regards to every sort of accommodation being filled up in towns right across Ireland with illegal economic migrants will get some hammering in the elections and rightly so .this Government is doing nothing to stop them arriving only doing there best to find accommodation for them ,they should be deported, they are no benefit to Ireland they are unskilled, deport them stop spending billions of tax payers money on people that have no right to be here ,defund NGOs that are helping to cause this mess .stop this glorified people smuggling ring that the government and rich have created in Ireland
@M G: If SF talked like you they would loose most of their support.
A vote For FF FG or SF in the next elections is a vote to finish Ireland off time to vote for other party’s and independents we cannot vote for FFG they have failed in every way possible SF priorities lie elsewhere they are not for the Irish.
I’d take the poll, just the referendum poll, with a pinch of salt. But it does seem like FF/FG are capitalising on immigration for their benefit after being solely responsible for mishandling the issue; their divide-and-conquer strategy seems to work well. The prospect of another FF/FG government is disheartening, especially considering that some people are basing their votes solely on immigration and not on the numerous failures of FF/FG, such as in housing and healthcare.
There’s really no hope, is there?
SF seemed to have it all within their grasp but they’ve messed it up big time. Hopefully we’ve dodged that bullet for good now (pun intended).
More media led lies, if anything can be learned from these polls is that they are generally a useless indicator of people’s preferences and those conducting them have underlying biases and agendas, these media groups don’t run on opinions or fresh air. Think about the most vulnerable person you know and vote how you would like their outcomes to be changed for the better. With that said, do use your vote as it’s your voice.
As someone who is canvassing for an independent in the local election we are getting no hostility at the doors but a lot of confusion by people thinking local candidates can change things nationally. The overall concern in the less well off areas is housing housing housing a few mention immigration but it’s mostly housing, roads traffic immigration and where I’m from there is a lot of people from non EU countries here.
We had all this crap before the last general election. I think these polls should be banned as they are done by media with an agenda mostly supporting the current government. You would think that they have learned their lesson after the last general election and the most recent referendums. The people are not fooled by these schisters anymore. On second thoughts maybe they should not be banned.
@Derek Poutch:
Polls a waste of time ,Derek,the recent referendums showed that. Probably better to keep an eye on what way the money is going on betting sites, usually a better indication of what way the wind is blowing.
I notice the ffg lackeys are panting and dribbling snot from all there holes ,the fact that iam not a shinner but want change triggers them big time
Neck and neck me ar$€ .. what counts is people turning out and refusing to put a preference down for the two ever present, damaging establishment parties. Don’t forgive fg FF for rural Ireland, for THEIR part in the immigration divide and corruption, for cervical check, for PSC mass data fraud, for our whistleblowers and bragging about aspects of Ireland such as economy to appear good boys and girls for the teachers in Brussels. Do not back fine Gael !!
I’m not politically affiliated not a fan of sinn fein or their accolites, but I have to say the bias from the media including the journal pro government is disgusting.
The whole idea is to be impartial it seems they’ve all bought into this new ideology. Whatever happens let’s hope for us and our children that this fails , Ireland has always stood alone fought for what’s right and the weak
@Dave O Neill: copy and pasted from the Shinner propaganda cell
@Dave O Neill:
Let you in on a secret Dave,
If you start your comment with something like “I’m not politically affiliated but” or “I don’t support (whichever party) but”……
You are letting everyone know that you are most definitely a supporter of said party.
@P. J.: not correct , you can point out a bias, without, being a supporter of any party.
He is correct in saying the same people spout the same stuff day in day out on the journal.
It’s gets boring after a while,
Immigration has been on here as a reason as to why SF ha e lost support. Immigration has had no impact on my quality of life. Am I alone in this? People can reply with a million reasons as to how it has impacted me but I will repeat, it hasn’t.
Health care is in crisis, housing in crisis, special education in crisis, kids with disabilities have no school places or services, kids can’t access healthcare, but some still think it has nothing to do with migration problem with the gov only focusing on one cohort while ignoring the rest of the people. 70 Nursing homes have closed down, the elderly are being treated appalling, money is being taken from the vulnerable groups & gov doesn’t care.
@Rosie Martin: You’re right, it doesnt have anything to do with migration. these problems existed well before we had people coming here. My mother would be nearly 100, and we battled for services, back to the 80s. When we had no foreign nationals. Anyone who has a child with sn will tell you it has always been a battle.
@Rosie Martin: nursing homes were privatised, that the problem, should be in public ownership. Also nothing to do with migration, unless you consider most homes employ foreign nationals, ir they would have no staff.
The best one iav heard in this thing yet.is.The health service isn’t broken.What drugs do you have to be on to think that
Why do I believe that some of my fellow irsh persons would rather have scuff marks on thier knees while licking the stinking ffg
It’s hard not to see Sinn Féin as a woke party with links to terrorism trying to pander to the lowest common denominator. It’s a very amusing and bemusing contradiction.
The choices are grim.
‘Men’ became ‘mice’.
Isn’t that the phrase?
Fantastic news
Just reading through the article here, and then all the comments and I’m glad to say I have no political affiliation whatsoever. These people come knocking at the doors, they promise us the sun the moon, and the stars, then when they win, all those promises go right out the window again.
I’m 56yrs old and I’ve never voted in my life, nor will I ever vote, because nothing ever changes in this country, if you get one disastrous lot out, your only opening the door again for another lot to come in, things never change. voting is not going to make an ounce of difference the last election we had sinn fein were the clear winners and ff & fg just pushed them out of the way, and took over yet again so I really do not see the point in anyone voting here
@lucia: The turnout for the last election was 62%. If non-voters like you had participated, the outcome might have been different. If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t complain about the outcome if you don’t like it..
@John Dennehy: he doesn’t care about the country and community but himself.
@lucia: More voting and less moaning from you please
now do a poll from an pobhlact & see what result u get.the business post is the equivalent to fg/ff. who are these supposedly people that think fg/ff are doing a great job so they’ve decided to vote for them.
@matthewjr oreilly: the business post didn’t carry out the poll, Red C did, their full methodology is available for anyone to read, and ensures the sample size is reflective of Irish society.
Go to the pub there pat and watch a football match for yourself.Will do you all the good.
Personally, I think I am leaning towards Ireland First.
Excellent news people are waking up to the fact that the very idea of Sinn Fein in government is horrifying. FG and FF to form the next government and keep the country and economy moving forward.
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