Public satisfaction with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, and the Fine Gael leader, Mr Bruton, has fallen, according to a Sunday Independent/IMS opinion poll.
The poll, carried out last Thursday and published yesterday, centred on the continuing allegations of corruption and the nomination of the former Supreme Court judge, Mr Hugh O'Flaherty, as vice-president of the European Investment Bank.
Satisfaction with the Taoiseach at 60 per cent was down seven points and with Ms Harney, at 42 per cent, was down 14. Mr Bruton's rating had fallen by three points to 38 per cent since April. However, the rate of satisfaction with the Labour leader, Mr Ruari Quinn, had risen by three points to 53 per cent.
Mr Bruton's challenge to the Taoiseach to explain his past support for Mr Charles Haughey has won the approval of 56 per cent, while 32 per cent said it was unjustified and 12 per cent had no opinion. Mr Ahern responded to the challenge by accusing the Opposition leader of twisting the truth. The poll showed that 60 per cent considered Mr Bruton was wrong to invite Mr Michael Lowry to rejoin Fine Gael.
The nomination of Mr O'Flaherty to the post of vice-president of the EIB was disapproved of by 70 per cent, and two-thirds of those polled considered he should refuse the nomination.
The opposition to the nomination included Fianna Fail supporters, of whom 62 per cent said the Government was wrong to go ahead with it. A total of 80 per cent of Fine Gael supporters and 83 per cent of Labour supporters polled believed the Government had got it wrong.
Of those polled, 52 per cent thought the criticism of Ms Harney's political judgment was justified in her support for Mr O'Flaherty's nomination and for her remarks on the forthcoming trial of Mr Haughey.
A total of 41 per cent were dissatisfied with the explanations offered by councillors to the Fianna Fail internal investigations into past political donations, while 36 per cent were completely dissatisfied, 10 per cent were satisfied and 11 per cent did not know.