Poll does not add up (or down)

Today's poll which shows a surge of 5% for FF is, frankly, as Albert Reynolds famously stated "Crap".



According to the Irish Times support for Fianna Fáil is up by five percentage points while support for Fine Gael is down one point and Labour is down three points.

The poll says Bertie Ahern was the winner of the television debate with 32 per cent deeming him the victor. Just 13 per cent gave victory to Mr Kenny, 14 per cent thought it was a draw, while the remaining 41 per cent either didn't watch the debate or had no opinion.

Labour are supposed to have lost 3% points over a weekend while FF is up 5%. This flies in the face of all the other polls conducted so far which show Rabbitte and Labour as gaining support steadily.

The poll was conducted last Friday and Saturday among a representative sample of 1,000 voters in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies.

They have gotten their numbers wrong. Thursday will paint a different picture.