The latest Irish Independent/Millward Brown poll shows that the battles for the final seats in both the Ireland Midlands and North West and Ireland South constituencies could go down to the wire and farmers will have an important say in the final outcome.
In the sprawling Ireland Midlands North West constituency, which covers everywhere from Louth to Donegal and all of Connacht, sitting MEPs Mairead McGuinness, Jim Higgins, Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher andMarian Harkin are in a battle to survive.
Higgins and McGuinness are polling at 11pc each and the combined FG vote is unlikely to produce two seats so one of them will be drawing his or her EU pension come the end of June.
McGuinness told the Farming Independent this week that she expected a hard campaign when she lost three of her Leinster counties in the redraw of the constituency but she was optimistic that her 11pc standing would improve before polling day.
She said the polling figures for Fine Gael would also rise when the message about what has been achieved since the economic collapse became clear to the electorate.
Marian Harkin is under pressure from Luke 'Ming' Flanagan with both polling at 12pc and this joust is certain to go down to the last transfer. Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher is in trouble with only 9pc of the poll.
In Ireland South a classic rural/urban battle within Fine Gael is emerging with outgoing MEP Sean Kelly and party colleague Deirdre Clune matching each other poll at 12pc. However, there was no sign of panic in the Kelly camp who expect the rural vote to outgun Clune's Cork City vote.
Sitting Fianna Fail MEP Brian Crowley at 36pc is certain to retain his seat with remarkable ease.
In both constituencies Sinn Fein look poised to win seats with Matt Carthy and Liadh Ní Riada.
Source: Independent Ireland