Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin expected to win seats in EU election, poll finds

Sat, 18 May, 2024 - 11:37

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin look set to win seats in each of the three European Parliament constituencies, according to an Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll.

Irish voters will head to the ballot box on June 7th to decide on 14 MEPs for the European Parliament.

According to the Irish Times poll, Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews in Dublin is in a strong position on 18 per cent, followed by Lynn Boylan of Sinn Féin on 15 per cent.

Fine Gael's Dublin candidate Regina Doherty is at 12 per cent, while Labour TD Aodhán Ó Riordáin gets 10 per cent support, ahead of sitting Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe at 8 per cent and fellow incumbent Clare Daly at 6 per cent.

In Ireland South, Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly is on course to top the poll on 23 per cent, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher on 18 per cent.

Sinn Féin TD Kathleen Funchion received 11 per cent support in the poll. Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan and fellow sitting MEP Mick Wallace are currently under pressure, with both incumbents on 3 per cent.

Independent Luke Ming Flanagan leads the field in Midlands-North-West on 11 per cent, but is followed by two candidates each from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Barry Cowen of Fianna Fáil is on 10 per cent and his party colleague Lisa Chambers is on 9 per cent. Maria Walsh of Fine Gael is on 10 per cent and her running mate Nina Carberry is on 9 per cent.

Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin is polling at 8 per cent, while Independent Ireland’s Ciarán Mullooly is on 7 per cent.

The survey also found that far-right and anti-migration candidates will require a dramatic change in voter sentiment if they are to challenge for seats, with support scattered among several candidates in the three constituencies.

The poll was conducted among a representative sample of adults aged 18 years and upwards across 150 sampling points throughout all constituencies. In-home interviewing took place between May 11th and 15th. The total number of interviews conducted was 1,500. The accuracy level is estimated to be approximately plus or minus 4.4 per cent.