An new opinion poll shows Sinn Féin’s General Election chances could be damaged by a failure to secure vote transfers from other parties.
The Dublin South West consituency polled by IMS last Friday and Saturday, showed Mr Seán Crowe, widely tipped to take a seat - probably at the expense of Fianna Fáil - would secure a significant first preference vote (15 per cent) but would not gain enough vote transfers to be elected.
The findings are in line with polls conducted in other constituencies, which showed that while leading Sinn Féin candidates were recording impressive first preferences, they were not attracting the vote transfers needed for election to the next Dáil.
Commissioned by the Irish Independentand RTE's Prime Timeprogramme, the latest poll shows massive support for Fianna Fáil's Mr Conor Lenihan (26 per cent) with sufficient tranfers going to his running mate, Mr Charlie O'Connor, who secured 16 per cent of first preferences.
High-profile Labour TD Mr Pat Rabbitte also recorded 16 per cent first preferences and scored well enough to retain his seat due to good vote transfers.
Mr Brian Hayes of Fine Gael, the poll topper in the 1997 general election, was fourth in the poll with 18 per cent of first preferences, squeezing out Mr Crowe.
The constituency has been redrawn since the last General Election, with the number of seats available reduced from five to four. With sitting TD Mr Chris Flood of Fianna Fáil retiring and the PD leader Ms Mary Harney moving to the new Dublin Mid-West constituency; the poll shows the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour represention from the constituency in the Dáil will be unchaged.