23 May 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Support for Taoiseach Micheál Martin is on the rise according to a new opinion poll, but the betting says something different as his odds on being replaced by the end of the year are going in the opposite direction.
The Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll saw Micheál Martin’s public satisfaction rating increase by six points, leaving him tied with both Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald on 49%. However, it hasn’t stopped Irish punters backing the Fianna Fáil leader into 11/8 from 7/4 with BoyleSports to be ousted by the end of the year.
Recent photo of An Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Cork City Hall HSE Covid-19 vaccination centre.
File photo by Gerard McCarthy
The support for a change of leadership comes as potential successor Jim O’Callaghan continues to plan Fianna Fáil’s byelection campaign in Dublin Bay South, where they are under pressure to deliver strong numbers despite Fine Gael being strong frontrunners to retain the seat vacated by former Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy.
O’Callaghan has been heavily backed as the most likely successor to Martin with his odds now cut into 5/4 from 6/4, with Michael McGrath next in the market at 3/1. Some previous support for Darragh O’Brien has dried up with his chances out to 10/1 from 8/1.
Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports said:
“The recent cyber-attack may be causing a headache for Government, but a bounce from the vaccine rollout may be responsible for Micheál Martin’s ratings boost on Sunday. The betting trends however suggest the pressure is more likely to increase as he has been cut into 11/8 from 7/4 to be replaced as leader of Fianna Fáil before the year is out.”
Odds: Next Fianna Fáil Leader ~ Micheal Martin Special
- 11/8 Michael Martin Not To Be Fianna Fail Leader On 31st Dec 2021
Odds: Next Fianna Fáil Leader
- 5-4 Jim O’Callaghan
- 3 Michael McGrath
- 11-2 James Lawless
- 9 Thomas Byrne
- 9 Niall Collins
- 10 Darragh O’Brien
- 12 Paul McAuliffe
- 20 Norma Foley
- 25 Robert Troy
- 25 Barry Cowen
- 25 John McGuinness
- 25 Dara Calleary
- 33 Jack Chambers
- 33 James Browne
- 40 Anne Rabbitte
- 50 Seán Ó Fearghail
- 50 Éamon Ó’Cuív
- 50 Mary Butler
- 80 Stephen Donnelly
- 100 Willie O’Dea
