Leo admits SF one of contenders in a ‘three-horse race’
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou Mcdonald
LEO Varadkar has admitted for the first time Sinn Fein are now serious rivals for Fine Gael.
The Taoiseach made the candid admission in a rallying call to party troops on the campaign trail in Ballincollig, Co Cork, yesterday.
Mr Varadkar was thanking party workers after a canvass in the village when he said to them: “This is a three-horse race, so we need to go out there and secure every vote.”
He was speaking in the wake of another shocking poll result for Fine Gael which put Sinn Fein ahead of his party for the first time in its history.
The Times Ireland Edition’s poll puts Fianna Fail in the lead on 23%, Sinn Fein on 21% and Fine Gael languishing back in third on 19%.
Publicly, at a doorstep interview with the assembled press in Ballincollig, Mr Varadkar rubbished the idea Sinn Fein are any real threat.
Mr Varadkar’s concession it is now a three-horse race will put serious pressure on RTE to make room for Mary Lou Mcdonald in the last leaders’ debate on Tuesday.
The Sinn Fein chief has not been invited as the national broadcaster is limiting the debate to the two political party leaders who could be our next Taoiseach, Mr Varadkar and Fianna Fail’s Micheal Martin.
RTE has excluded Ms Mcdonald because they feel she cannot become Taoiseach based on the numbers.
Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar suggested Fianna Fail are becoming arrogant and complacent about an imminent election victory.
He said: “I think there’s elements of Fianna Fail who think this election is in the bag for them.”