Green Party candidate Mr John Gormley has today criticised the use of opinion polls prior to elections saying that they are "a damn nuisance".
Tallies indicate that Mr Gormley will be returned to the Dáil by polling third in Dublin South East.
"It was difficult to convince people that I was in danger because a poll came out and these polls are proving to be a damn nuisance quite frankly because people think that either you’re safe or not safe and people vote accordingly.
"I really have to consider my own views on polls from now on because they do influence the electorate. They should be there as something that is interesting, but they are actually influencing the outcomes of elections and that is dangerous," Mr Gormley told ireland.com.
"When the IMS poll came out it showed Michael [McDowell] on 9 per cent - which I believe he was at that stage - but what it meant was people said that Gormley is safe, Quinn is safe and we’re going to vote for Michael. That’s what happened. I know it," he added.
Mr Gormley also said that people voted for the Greens because of the strength of their campaign and that people were fed up with corruption in politics.