Fianna Fáil TDs say party must improve poll standings

A number of senior Fianna Fáil TDs have warned that the party must "step up" in order to improve its poll standings and become serious competitors at the next general election.

Michael McGrath, the party's finance spokesman, said it is not picking up the support lost by Fine Gael and Labour while Galway West TD Éamon Ó'Cuív said it must develop more distinctive policies. However, neither said the leadership of Michéal Martin is an issue.

An opinion poll published in the Sunday Independent put Fianna Fáil on 19 per cent, with Sinn Féin on 26 per cent and Fine Gael on 25 per cent. Labour was on 6 per cent and Independents and others dropped nine points to 23 per cent.

Some deputies said the upcoming byelection in Carlow Kilkenny has taken on an added importance, and said a strong performance is needed.

“We need to be getting around 25 per cent,” said one. “It’s a place we took three out of five seats in 2007, so it will tell a lot.”

Mr McGrath, Mr Martin’s constituency colleague in Cork South-Central, said the poll reflected “a clear pattern” over a number of polls “which has the Government parties down 20-25 per cent on their general election performance”.

“We are not picking up a lot of the support that has been leaving the Government. We need to step up a level, and work harder at developing policies.”

Mr McGrath also said it would be “foolish” for the party to reassure itself with the results of last year’s local elections, which saw Fianna Fáil emerge as the largest party in local government.

He said policy areas Fianna Fáil can improve upon include political reform, helping small businesses and homeowners, as well as reforming and reducing tax.

Tax cuts will be part of Fianna Fáil’s election manifesto but he said the party would reduce taxes in “a responsible way”. The Coalition’s tax cuts have been funded by borrowing, he said.

“But we are the party with the most space for growth in a general election campaign,” he said. Mr McGrath also claimed Fianna Fáil is “not getting a fair crack of the whip on broadcast media”. “Some programmes are a Fianna Fáil-free zone. The Opposition voices are mostly Independents, Socialists or Sinn Féin.”