Doctors in favour of ‘going green’, election poll suggests

A poll outlining how GPs plan to vote in the upcoming general election has revealed large support for the Green Party and Fianna Fáil. 

Backing for Sinn Féin in national opinion polls remains high but GPs are unlikely to give the party much support when the polls open on 8 February, the survey shows.

Conducted on medical directory website GPBuddy.ie, the poll launched by GP Dr Conor McGrane reveals only 7 per cent of GPs will vote for Sinn Féin. 

Support for the Greens is much higher, however, with 26 per cent of the 404 GPs polled indicating their voting preference for the Green Party. 

Fianna Fáil is in close second with almost 25 per cent of GPs planning to vote for them on Saturday. 

Elsewhere, despite coming in for heavy criticism from doctors when in Government, Fine Gael support remains high, with 22 per cent of GPs polled planning to give the party a vote. 

The figure could be linked to satisfaction among the majority of GPs following completion of IMO GP agreement last year. 

Yet many GPs remain frustrated at the lack of action taken by Fine Gael to address mounting capacity problems in general practice. 

The poll also revealed that support among GPs for Labour is at 3 per cent. People Before Profit received 1 per cent, Renua 1.2 per cent, Social Democrats 4.7 per cent, Aontú 5.9 per cent and Independents/Others polled 3.5 per cent. 

For the poll, GPs were asked the question: “Who are you going to vote for in GE2020”?

Remarking on some of the comments made the GPs on the site, Dr McGrane noted that most GPs held “no great faith in any of the health plans” published by political parties, Dr McGrane told the Medical Independent.

Most GPs, he said, believe Sláintecare has been “badly costed” and are frustrated by the absence of any “real engagement from Government”. 

“There is a near complete absence of faith in Simon Harris [outgoing Minister for Health],” added Dr McGrane.