Support for both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil remains unchanged in wake of nurses’ strike and Children’s Hospital row.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s personal satisfaction rate amongst the Irish public is currently at 39%, according to a new opinion poll.
In contrast, Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin is the most popular leader in the country with a satisfaction rating of 43%.
The Sunday Times Behaviour and Attitudes Poll, published on Sunday 17 February, shows a 1% increase for Varadkar and the overall government when compared with January’s results.
Despite that uptick, it is a far cry from the Taoiseach’s highest previously recorded rating of 59%.
Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil remain unchanged on on 30% and 26% respectively, despite much unrest following the nurses’ and midwives strike and the significant overrun of costs regarding the National Children’s Hospital.
Concerning the latter, Minister for Health Simon Harris appeared on The Marian Finucane Show on Saturday morning, noting that there is “no going back” on the project.
In conversation with guest presenter Brendan O’Connor, Harris said that he hadn’t considered resigning from his position, despite mounting pressure from the public and a tabled motion of no-confidence from Sinn Féin.
Mary Lou McDonald’s party drops two points to 18% in the Sunday Times poll, which was conducted between 31 January and 12 February.
910 eligible voters were surveyed via face-to-face interviews, while there is a margin of error of 3.3%.
Elsewhere, Labour move up one point to 5%, the Green Party, Independent Alliance and Solidarity/People Before Profit stay on 2% each, and the Social Democrats remain unchanged on 1%.
Renua Ireland and the Socialist Party both climb to 1% each, while Independents and others stay at 13%.
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