Richard Colwell | Business Post

Richard Colwell

richardcolwell

Forensic press coverage takes the wind out of Sinn Féin’s sails

In the latest Red C poll, a slight drop in support for Sinn Féin, some gains for Fine Gael and a noticeable increase in undecided voters show that it is far from clear who will be in power after the country goes to the polls in two years’ time

Richard Colwell: Budget gives FG a modest bounce as cost of living crisis bites

Today’s Red C/Business Post poll indicates that Fine Gael has benefited from the recent budget, but not as much as might have been hoped

Richard Colwell: Cost of living response is vital if government is to regain support

The coalition parties must present real solutions to the cost of living crisis, or a large proportion of the two-thirds of voters surveyed who now say they are struggling financially are likely to vote Sinn Féin

Richard Colwell: No summer holiday respite for coalition as the pressure mounts

With voters being reminded of the cost of living crisis whenever they go shopping or fill up their car’s tank, the government’s troubles are unlikely to ease any time soon

Richard Colwell: Poll shows how government could win over voters on housing crisis

If the cost of living crisis resolves itself before the next general election, then housing will still be the most dominant issue when the country goes to the polls

Richard Colwell: Confidence in the future diminishing as cost of living crisis bites

The latest Red C poll shows that almost two-thirds of voters feel they have little or no disposable income left after bills are paid

Richard Colwell: Bread-and-butter concerns are more important to voters than left-right dogma

Support is gravitating to Sinn Féin not because of its political ideology, but because more and more people believe it is the party best placed to effect real change

Richard Colwell: Fianna Fáil enjoys the upward side of the see-saw of government support

Fianna Fáil has done well throughout the winter. Now almost 70 per cent of those who voted for the party at the last general election say they would vote for it again. However, this state of affairs may be rebalanced after the handover of the role of Taoiseach at the end of this year

Red C poll: gratitude lacking from voters for post-Covid liberation

Sinn Féin has maintained its lead on the coalition parties, but with another three years to go, the government has time to make up ground

Richard Colwell: For many, the ideal of a united Ireland is more attractive than the reality

Richard Colwell: No budget bounce for coalition as SF’s climb continues

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have lost ground to Mary Lou McDonald’s party, which now sits on 33 per cent as the national divide grows between haves and have-nots

Richard Colwell: Government’s cycle of gaffes leaves the way open for McDonald

Sinn Féin’s support hasn’t grown to any huge degree, but it has remained rock-solid while that of the government parties continues to slide

The revelations about parties using fake pollsters must be taken seriously

The deceptive practices exposed last week may be historic, but they risk undermining the work of credible polling companies

Richard Colwell: It’s the housing, stupid: how the political tide turned

While Sinn Féin edges out Fine Gael as the most trusted party on this one critical issue alone, it is enough to keep it polling level for first preference votes

FF and the Greens now serving as mudguard to FG progress

Fine Gael retains its support, while latest poll shows Sinn Féin unable to gain momentum from government parties’ difficulties

Richard Colwell: Lockdown takes its toll as happiness levels plummet

The latest Business Post/Red C poll shows that many Irish people are admitting to being unhappy and Fianna Fáil is being hardest hit by the national discontent

Fine Gael may be benefiting from a lack of ‘acceptable’ alternatives

Fine Gael is maintaining its support, despite growing anger over the handling of the lockdown, while Fianna Fáil and the Greens are bearing the brunt of voter frustration

Richard Colwell: FF benefits from public approval of virus restrictions

After a disastrous Christmas, the strictness of lockdown had reinforced FF voters’ positive view of the party

Sinn Féin’s rising star is now eclipsing Fianna Fáil

The main opposition party has its greatest support among the young, and is on course to tip the generations-long balance of power in Irish politics

Polls didn’t get it ‘wrong again’: the use of the data is the issue

Comment: Nobody should have predicted a landslide result going by what the opinion polls were saying