Taoiseach's popularity at record 84% after peace deal

The Taoiseach's personal rating has soared to 84 per cent, the highest of any political leader on record, according to an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll published today. The level of satisfaction with the Government, 73 per cent, and support for the Fianna Fail party, 57 per cent, also breaks all polling records over the past 25 years.

The poll was conducted among a national quota sample of 1,000 electors at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State last Tuesday. It marks the first test of political opinion in the Republic since the Northern Ireland Agreement. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, wins most of the political credit for the successful conclusion to the negotiations, held at a time of personal tragedy with the death of his mother last week. His satisfaction rating stands at 84 per cent, up 10 percentage points since the post-Budget poll in December. He becomes the most popular leader since MRBI started conducting political opinion polls in 1973.

A measure of Mr Ahern's high standing can be gleaned from the poll finding that 95 per cent of Fianna Fail voters are satisfied with his performance. This compares with 75 per cent of Fine Gael voters, 76 per cent of Labour, 77 per cent of Progressive Democrats and 72 per cent of Others. Mr Ahern wins 86 per cent support in Dublin, 85 per cent in Leinster, 87 per cent in Munster and 74 per cent in Connacht/Ulster. A massive 88 per cent of ABC1 voters are satisfied with his performance.

The rating for the other leaders is: Tanaiste and PD leader, Ms Harney, 63 per cent, up three points in four months; Fine Gael leader, Mr Bruton, 56 per cent, up six points; Labour leader, Mr Quinn, 58 per cent, up one point; and Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, 50 per cent, down three points.

Fianna Fail wins its highest support, 57 per cent, in the history of opinion polls, even surpassing the level recorded by the party under Mr Jack Lynch in the run-up to the historic 1977 general election.

The state of the parties, excluding the 13 per cent undecideds, is: Fianna Fail 57 per cent, up seven percentage points since December; Fine Gael 20 per cent, down six points; Labour 11 per cent, down two points; Sinn Fein 4 per cent, up three points; PDs 3 per cent, unchanged; Green Party 2 per cent, unchanged; DL 1 per cent, down one point; and Others 2 per cent, down one point.

The core vote of two parties has increased: Fianna Fail's to 49 per cent and Sinn Fein's to 3 per cent.

The level of satisfaction with the Government, 73 per cent, the highest on record also, has increased by eight percentage points in four months. Some 20 per cent are dissatisfied with the Government's performance and 7 per cent are undecided.