Independent TD Mattie McGrath has said that the latest Irish Times/ Ipsos MRBI poll on support for political parties and groupings confirms the view that a generational realignment of Irish political certainties is taking root across the Country. Deputy McGrath was speaking after the poll revealed a significant 32% spike in support for Independent TD’s and smaller groupings, with a corresponding drop of 5% for Fine Gael which brings them down to 19%, with Labour at an abysmal 6%:
“While I always tend to take the outcomes of such polls with a pinch of salt, I think on this occasion the numbers reflect very accurately the profound levels of disengagement that has place in relation to the main political parties.
These are not ‘business as usual’ indicators, with the expectation that a bounce is just around the corner. People are sick and tired of the inability of the main political parties to bring about the kind of meaningful political reform that is endlessly promised and never delivered.
What people appreciate in their Independent TD’s is their greater willingness to boldly confront the issues that really matter to them without the fear of the Party hammer coming down on them.
The ironic thing is that this is the kind of position backbench Government TD’s should adopt; but instead we have a political system cowed by servile obedience to the Party line and the relegation of the Dáil itself to nothing more than a talking shop.
The electorate in their wisdom have seen through this Government sanctioned contempt and are actively choosing to support those of us who want to do that most ‘revolutionary’ thing; actually put the people first and party ideology second,” concluded Deputy McGrath.
