Sinn Féin poll drop ‘can turn around very quickly’

Sinn Féin has seen a significant drop in polls – but party MEP Lynn Boylan has warned that can “turn around very quickly”.

The latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll saw support for Sinn Féin halved since 2022 with just 18%.

Fine Gael is the most popular party at 25% – a 1% increase since the last poll – while Fianna Fáil also gained one point to 21%.

Irish Examiner Political Correspondent Paul Hosford said the high support for Fine Gael might have the Government considering a general election.

“If you’re Simon Harris now and you’re seeing 25% support, there’s a lot of wind at your back,” he told The Anton Savage Show.

“Are you going to be tempted to go in the next couple of weeks? Are you going to be tempted to pull the plug just after the Budget?”

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan said the party carried out an “extensive review” following their middling performance at the local and European elections.

“So, while we’d like to be doing better in the polls, it’s the holiday season,” she said.

“When the opposition is back in, and Mary Lou is holding the Government to account and those recommendations from that review are put into place, I think hopefully you will see, you know, a reverse of that trend.”

She said the post-election review found issues with “messaging” and “internal issues” – and they will be resolved by the next general election.

Politics tamfitronics Sinn Féin performance

The MEP also noted Sinn Féin had a poor local election in 2019 before having their most successful general election in 2020 thanks to Mary Lou McDonald.

“Things can turn around very quickly in politics,” she said. “A week is a long time in politics, but I do think it’s hard to judge when it’s in the holiday season.”

She said Sinn Féin will be launching its “comprehensive” housing plan that promises to be “fully-costed”.

“Housing is one of the weakest points for this Government,” she said. “And I think tomorrow when you see very clearly the alternative is there, [people will see] this Government and the previous Government’s failing on housing.

“Everything is going in the wrong direction – over 14,000 people are homeless in this State.”

In the poll, Ms McDonald’s personal approval rating was 31% – over 20 points behind Mr Harris at 53%.

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