29 May 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
New Opinion Poll Sees Sinn Féin Strengthen Grip As Election Favourites
The odds of Sinn Féin winning the next Irish general election have shortened again after they hit a record high in a new opinion poll.
The Red C poll for the Business Post showed a Sinn Féin rise of 2% points to a record high of 36%, more than the combined vote for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil who came out with 20% and 15% respectively.
The new figures came after the recent Stormont Assembly elections, which saw Sinn Féin emerge as the largest party in the North.
BoyleSports have reacted by cutting the chances of Sinn Féin winning most seats at the next Irish general election into a red-hot 1/4 from 2/5, while Fine Gael were pushed out to 4/1 second favourites from 5/2.
Mary Lou McDonald is also firmly in pole position to be elected Taoiseach after the next visit to the ballot box as her odds have now sunk into 2/7 from 4/6, putting her well clear of 7/2 shot Leo Varadkar in the latest betting.
Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports said:
“Sinn Féin are buoyed not only by results in the North, but by successive opinion polls which give them a comfortable cushion over the parties in government. They have now completely taken over the betting for the next election and at odds of 1/4 it would now take a significant upset to deny them being returned as the largest party.”
The bookie’s odds
Most Seats At Next Irish General Election
1/4 Sinn Féin
4/1 Fine Gael
8/1 Fianna Fáil
Taoiseach After Next Election
2/7 Mary Lou McDonald
7/2 Leo Varadkar
10/1 Simon Coveney
11/1 Micheál Martin
20/1 Jim O’Callaghan
20/1 Dara Calleary
20/1 Helen McEntee
20/1 Michael McGrath
22/1 Paschal Donohoe
25/1 bar