A new opinion poll is predicting Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty is set to top the poll in Donegal, with the possibility that Sinn Fein could also take a second seat in the constituency.
The new TG4/Ipsos MRBI poll claims that Doherty is likely to receive a quota and a half, with 27% of first preference votes.
The TG4/Ipsos MRBI constituency poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday of this week, suggests Doherty’s surplus could help his party colleague Padraig MacLochlann, who’s on 12% of the vote, regain the seat he lost in 2016.
Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh is the second most popular candidate, according to the poll, with 17% of first preference votes, giving him a quota, with the likelihood he will retain his seat.
The poll also suggets Fianna Fail could take two seats, with the last of the five seats a battle for transfers between one of the Fianna Fail candidates and current Independent TD Thomas Pringle, who’s at 6%.
Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConalogue is at 12% and Pat the Cope Gallagher at 10%
Mary T Sweeney, of Aontu and Fine Gael’s Martin Harley are both on 3%, and Independent Niall McConnell is on 1%.
Green Party candidate Michael White and Independent John O Donnell are at 4%, while Independent Peter Casey is at 2%.
Independent Arthur McGuinness was not included in the poll as he only filed his nomination on the day of the poll.
550 people were surveyed for the poll, which has a margin of error of up to plus or minus four percentage points.
