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FINE GAEL AND Labour look to be well short of an overall majority after today’s General Election, according to the first exit poll.
The Irish Times reports that the coalition parties have a combined 34% of first preference votes.
Fianna Fáil are on 22.9%, suggesting there was something of a late surge in support for them, while Sinn Féin are on 14.9%, and Independents appear to have taken 16.1% of first preference votes.
Interviews for the exit poll were conducted by Ipsos MRBI with people leaving polling centres after casting their vote.
We can’t make totally accurate predictions about Dáil seats yet, because tonight’s exit poll only takes into account first preference votes.
If tonight’s exit poll turns out to be accurate, it would suggest a combined fall in support for Fine Gael and Labour of 21.7% of first preference votes since 2011 – a massively significant decrease.
On the basis of these numbers, Labour could see its support collapse, falling by more than half, from 19.5% five years ago, to 7.8% today.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin will have seen a gain of around 5% each, but perhaps the biggest story of Election 2016 could be the rise of Independents and the smaller parties.
In 2011, Independents, People Before Profit, the Socialist Party and the Greens got a combined 16.1% of first preference votes.
Tonight’s exit poll, however, suggests that with the addition of the Social Democrats and Renua, support for Independents and the smaller parties may have rocketed, by more than 12% – from 16.1% to 28.6%.
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@Sean Murphy:
Could argue similarly about citizen’s sexual habits, driving habits, drinking habits, sporting habits, smoking habits, drug smoking habits and most critically their voting habits….all considered!!
@Sean Murphy: 10 megacompanies control the food industry in the west.
Supermarket aisles are full of sugary processed foods that cause long-term damage to most people’s health, particularly young people who have grown up since the massive influx of highly processed foods that are stuffed full of salt, sugar and trans fats because these are cheaper than quality ingredients, have a long shelf-life, exploit human biology and maximise profit. It’s not down to individuals making the right decision. Cost is the number one factor and many people cannot afford to buy healthy food any more. That’s a government problem to fix and consecutive health ministers have failed miserably for decades on this.
@: Too much salt in the diet causes blood clotting and strokes – it’s a major issue in the west as processed foods are full of salt to give bland ingredients some semblance of taste.
@: You actually have no right to an opinion if you have never bought a license…..and you are typical of the moaners in here.I find the people who moan the most contribute the least.
@uUleRhCu:
A bit like all the overpaid talent neutral parasites that present most of their stock shows and those who have run the Montrose Mafia franchise…..into the very grounds they’ll soon be selling off in order to keep the Wonderly Wagon chuggin’ along!!
@Thesaltyurchin: Over 4 years, plenty of bloated positions in RTE that can be gone, matter of fact they should scatter that entity to the winds and sell Montrose and other holdings.
Pretty easy to do with the RDA graphics on most food products. It can be sometimes surprising to see you can only eat 1/4 of a pizza before going over the RDA limit.
There’s an app on the iPhone (and probably Android too) called Yuka. We usually scan every new item we buy – just to see if it’s healthy. It’s amazing how many are really unhealthy, with many containing potential carcinogens. On the positive side, we often find that the new ones are quite healthy. For some products that are not healthy, there are alternative recommendations. Many products that are bad or unhealthy tend to be high in salt or MSG.
Yes, but the levels of sugar in food are far more worrying, and it is ‘hidden’ in a multitude of terms. Sugar, Glucose, Sucrose, Fructose, Glucose Syrup, Corn Syrup, Honey, Concentrated Fruit Extract, etc, etc. Some breakfast cereals and ‘healthfood’ bars are almost 30% sugar. Pizzas also have crazy levels.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Hence the increased salt in a lot of these very same foods.
High in sugar does cover the salt = they have to add more salt to the stuff.
@Pato: yes indeed it’s called SRM – Salt Related Misogyny. The culture of men putting salt on their food in front of women is making them feel uncomfortable so they end up eating chocolate to relieve the stress which makes them fat, so that’s men’s fault as well etc. . .
I avoid processed foods regardless, salt content is the least concerning when it comes to processed muck. If one digs deep enough one can find the gaslighting behind this salt debate.
Most stuff would be inedible without salt. Or at least wouldn’t be as tasty.
Try cabbage bacon and spuds sauce included without salt.
Salt is not bad for you. Suger and a bad diet is. Simple ..
@Anna Carr (Morrigan_Dubh): care to explain? Smaller producers might get away with some variations at time, but I’m sure the big ones are under regular scrutiny even from independent consumer agencies.
On the one hand I prefer to make my own decisions instead instead of having to follow the dictates of the powers that be. On the other hand there is the (possibly) avoidable risk of premature disease that could clog up hospital beds and make burial directors prematurely wealthy. I am not sure that the case against salt has been proven.
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