FF at lowest level ever (since opinion polls began)

[Farrandeelin]

Not really surprised. They made a balls of the budget. Everything Cowen has done has fallen apart or into a crisis. There could be another General election!

[Stalin]

Yeah I had a bad week in my Fantasy Football too. Carlton Cole didnt help things there 

[Tankie]

i'd say the last thing the opposition want is an election, i'd say they would be happy to sit in opposition for another year just so FF are totally blamed with doing nothing with the money during the  celtic tiger and then make a run for power.

[Owenmoresider]

While it is inevitable that the polls will look horrid for FF these days, they may pick up again, but it does look like FF's return to power last year resembles the Tories winning in 1992 - great for them then, but events meant the party was on a hiding to nothing at the next election. Though FG don't have a Blair-like figure to capture the public mood it would seem.

The rise in the Labour figure is not good though. Keep the left-wing parties on the margins.

[mylestheslasher]

I find it hard to have much pity for the people who moan now about the budget. Anyone with an eye in their head knows that FF look after big business first and maybe throw a few crumbs to the peasants 2nd. Over the last few years the peasants crumbs amounted to more than we ever got before but when things needed to be tightened guess who gets squeezed and guess who gets supported. A majority of people voted for the FF'ers and now they get to reep what they sowed. The PD's are more of the same and the greens are a bunch of ball-less gimps. This government needs to be booted out and replaced with something in the ctr and the left.

[comethekingdom]

i'd say the last thing the opposition want is an election, i'd say they would be happy to sit in opposition for another year just so FF are totally blamed with doing nothing with the money during the  celtic tiger and then make a run for power.

aye! As a person who can't like FF ever now is not the time for them to leave. FG or whoever would replace the lowlife FFers (who have aided and abetted all the builders/developers and banks  who have fcuked up this country) would be on a hiding to nothing and probably be ousted in a short time anyway!
Public sector reform is the only ticket out of this mess. Too much money wasted on arse holes who dictate themselves how little they they do in a day. I was talking to a bloke the other day who employed a few ex semistate workers and had to let them go fairly quick as they wouldn't work on batteries!

[Pangurban]

Think FF are looking a way out of power as they can see what is coming down the track. A few years in opposition while the opposition make a complete dogs dinner of handling the current crisis must appeal to them. Governments earn no kudos when times are hard, and they need time to rebuild their image and reconnect with their base

[Owenmoresider]

It gets worse for FF, the MRBI poll below:

FF 27 (-15)
FG 34 (+11)
Lab 14 (-1)
SF 8 (n/c)
GP 4 (-1)
Oth 13 (+7)



From RTE.ie:

Massive drop in support for Fianna Fáil
Thursday, 13 November 2008 21:43

Support for the Government and Fianna Fáil has slumped, according to the latest opinion poll, which shows dissatisfaction with the performance of the Government.

Fine Gael holds a seven point lead over Fianna Fáil, according to the TNS/MRBI poll in tomorrow morning's Irish Times.

1,000 people right around the country were questioned by TNS/MRBI on Monday and Tuesday about their voting intentions, with Fianna Fáil down 15 points to an historic low of just 27%.

Fine Gael by contrast have surged ahead, up 11 points to 34% although the party will be disappointed.

Labour will be disappointed with a one point drop to 14% while the Green Party are also down one point to 4%.

Sinn Féin support is unchanged at 8%, while Independents and others are up a hefty seven points to 13%.

Satisfaction with the Taoiseach is also down 21 points to 26%.

Satisfaction with the Government has also suffered, just 18% are happy with the way the coalition is governing, while 76% say they are dissatisfied.

[thebandit]

No mater what the polls say, FG wouldn't win an election in the morning.... would you like Inda and the boys trying to drag the economy out of this......

[Mentalman]

No mater what the polls say, FG wouldn't win an election in the morning.... would you like Inda and the boys trying to drag the economy out of this......

Not a FG supporter, but do you think the people who got us into this are really the ones to get us out of it?

In any event, this would be the worst possible time to be taking over in government, with the economy in this state. I'm sure most of Inda's boys realise that too. On the other side of the house the Greens and the FF back benchers also realise they will take a hammering if they go to the country. Given that I expect no change in the status quo.

[thebandit]

They are all afraid of their lives of the voters at this stage.

[magpie seanie]

would you like Inda and the boys trying to drag the economy out of this......

Never thought I'd say this but I'd have more faith in Richard Bruton than Brian Lenihan.

[Rossie11]

Across all parties I would be struggling to pick a half decent cabinet let alone from 50% of them
From the opposition Richard Bruton and Leo Varadkar stand out. Eamon Gilmore would be worth a spot.
Kenny could be a competent minister but I don't see him as leader of the nation material.

Are there any fresh voices coming out of the FF ranks at the moment?
The likes of Cullen Dempsey and Roche are utterly hopeless.
The big hitters like O'Dea and Martin just exist to be rolled out in times of trouble to chant the same mantra
Credit crunch, global recession.. etc etc
When things were good the walked proudly among their peers in Europe and took the congratulatory slap on the back
over their running of the Celtic Tiger
Now that the job is f*cked its the worlds fault and has nothing to do with their own failings.