BBC Radio 4 World at One programme has interviewed Ireland's Foreign Minister Fianna Fáil TD Dermot Ahern who has reiterated that his party will go into opposition rather than form a coalition with Sinn Féin.When asked why the DUP could form a coalition with them but FF couldn't, Ahern denounced Sinn Fein as 'Marxist-socialist' and asserted it was a different situation to the north because the republic was a 'voluntary democratic society'. Is he seriously saying voters are coerced in the north?
The BBC reminded Ahern of a poll that showed 46% of the public didn't believe that FF wouldn't do a deal if it was necessary to keep them in power and broadcast the independent Senator Shane Ross who suggested Fianna Fáil's priority of staying in power would override their aversion to a coalition. Fianna Fáil's repeated statement of opposition to a coalition could put them in a difficult situation after the poll, where they may have to choose between saving face and losing power or rapid back-pedalling to rewrite history and make new friends.
The latest opinion polls for the Irish general election have seen Fianna Fáil shore up their support whilst both parties of the opposition block, Fine Gael and Labour have faltered. However, the overall result remains too close to call. In the Sunday Business Post, FF/PD remains on 38% equal to FG/Labour, whilst the Sunday Independent's poll puts the ruling coalition on 40% and the opposition two parties on 37%. Both Sinn Féin and the Greens vote is holding up and increases the likelihood that at least one of them will be involved in negotiations for government if the breakdown of seats is as equal as the polling suggests.
The party no-one is willing to countenance a deal with, at least publicly, achieved the largest rise in the RedC poll for the Sunday Business Post by rising 3 points to 10%. RedC polls have previously placed Sinn Féin at a notably lower rate than IMS polls with the latest results giving encouragement for the party.
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