Parties hitting campaign trail
Political parties are today facing into the first full day of campaigning for general election 2011.
As the parties officially launch their campaigns later, the first opinion poll of this election will be fresh in their minds.
The Milward Brown Lansdowne survey for the Irish Independent shows a drop in support for Fine Gael, no change for Labour, Fianna Fáil or the Greens, and a three-point improvement in Sinn Féin's rating.
Conducted at the weekend, the survey compares to a poll carried out in the latter days of last week for the Sunday Independent.
Fine Gael support has dropped from 34 to 30%, while Sinn Féin go up three percentage points to 13%.
All other parties remain unchanged, with Labour on 24%, Fianna Fáil on 16%, Independents on 15% and the Greens on 1%.
Satisfaction with the leaders sees Eamon Gilmore remain on top on 46%, Micheál Martin polls 44% on his first outing, 31% support Gerry Adams Enda Kenny is on 27%and John Gormley is back on 14%.
Satisfaction with the Government has hit a new record low of 3%, with 95% dissatisfied.
Meanwhile Fianna Fáil will officially launch its election campaign later.
Party leader Micheál Martin will then take to the road for what is expected to be the toughest election campaign the party has ever faced.
Fine Gael leader Kenny is spending this morning meeting voters in the capital, where he will officially launch the party's five-point plan to get Ireland working before his national campaign formally hits the road.
The whistlestop tour today will see Cavan, Louth and part of Meath covered.
Aside from doorstep canvassing and soapbox speechmaking, online updates and social networking are set to be a major feature of the election campaign..
Latest figures show 190 candidates around the country are using services like Twitter, Facebook and Audioboo, with more signing up every day.
