Ireland opinion poll update

Next year's Irish general election looks like it could lead to a change of government, according to the latest polls.

September's Red C poll confirms that the potential alternative Labour/Fine Gael coalition is making slow but steady progress and that Fianna Fail has lost about 20% of its 2002 support.

The September numbers ( http://www.redcresearch.ie/results.html) are:

Fianna Fail - 33% (down from 41.5% in 2002)
Fine Gael - 25% (up from 22.5%)
Labour - 14% (up from 10.8%)
Independents - 9% (down from 9.5%)
Sinn Fein - 8% (up from 6.5%)
Greens - 7% (up from 3.8%)
Progressive Democrats - 4% (unchanged)

This would see Fianna Fail fall below 60 seats in the 166 seat Dail, down from 81 in 2002.