POLL SHOCK: Sinn Féin overtakes Fine Gael just days before election

Fine Gael’s nine years in power looks to be at an end after two shock polls found they have been overtaken by Sinn Féin.

With less than a week to go before next Saturday’s election, Fine Gael’s slogan ‘a future to look forward to’ does not appear be chiming with voters. And the party looks set to suffer double figure seat losses if the latest polls are reflected in actual voting.

This morning’s Red C poll for the Business Post confirms the finding of another poll yesterday from The Times Ireland Edition which first showed Sinn Féin had inched ahead of Fine Gael by a couple of points.

The poll findings will come as huge boost to local Sinn Féin TD and candidate Kathleen Funchion (pictured above with party leader Mary Lou McDonald), who has enjoyed a strong campaign in the constituency so far.

It is understood the latest national poll findings are also reflected in an internal Fine Gael poll carried out in Carlow-Kilkenny, which sources told KilkennyNow.ie shows Deputy Funchion and fellow sitting TDs John McGuinness (FF) and John Paul Phelan ahead of the pack, with Bobby Aylward (FF), Pat Deering (FG) Jennifer Murnane O’Connor (FF) and the Greens’ Malcolm Noonan slugging it out for the final two seats.

The Red C poll published this morning reveals Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are now neck and neck on 24% each, with Fine Gael trailing back on 21%.

Next in line is the Greens on 7%, with Labour coming in after that on 5%.

The Social Democrats’s support is measured at 3%, Aontu is at 2% and Solidarity/People Before Profit are back on 1%.

Independents are projected to clinch 12% of the vote combined.

The Times Ireland poll showed Fianna Fáil in the lead on 23%, Sinn Féin in second place on 21% and Fine Gael languishing in third on just 19%.