More than half of voters say new FF leader would make no difference at ballot box

IN AN indication of Fianna Fáil’s standing with the electorate, when asked would they be more or less likely to vote for the party if it had a new leader, 48% said it would not make any difference as they would ‘never consider’ voting for Fianna Fáil.

According to the Irish Mail On Sunday-Ireland Thinks poll, just 7% said it would not matter because they always vote FF.

Just a fifth of voters would be more likely to vote for Fianna Fáil if Micheál Martin were removed from his party leadership.

The Taoiseach is unlikely to be consoled by the revelation that just 9% of voters would be less likely to vote for his party if he was gone. And 52% declared they would be ‘more likely’ to support Fianna Fáil if they moved to the centre left.

In an indication that Sinn Féin is eating Fianna Fáil’s lunch, 29% of those surveyed said they would consider supporting the party if it was a bit more left wing, while 23% want it to be more centrist.

Just 11% of voters say they want FF to be ‘a bit more right-wing’.

And 37% of those polled said they ‘don’t know’.

Questions have been asked about Mr Martin’s leadership in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the Dublin Bay South by-election. The party’s candidate, Deirdre Conroy, polled just 4.6% of firstpreference votes.

Speaking after the result, Mr Martin said: ‘I have given my reaction to this, I am very clear in terms of by-elections.

‘I have made it very clear from the outset when I was elected Taoiseach what I intend to do – I do intend to lead this Government.

‘My focus is on this Government and the people of Ireland – getting through Covid-19 is extremely important, recovering our economy.’

Also speaking after the result, when asked if Mr Martin should lead the party into the next general election if it takes place in 2024 or 2025, Fianna Fáil’s director of elections Jim O’Callaghan said: ‘We’ll have to think about that.’