Fianna Fail has staged a remarkable comeback to reclaim its status as the most supported political party in the Republic of Ireland as support for the current coalition has slipped, the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll has revealed.
According to the Irish Times the latest survey shows that Fianna Fail has held on to the same share of the vote it obtained in February when it recovered first place in an Irish Times poll for the first time in five years.
The popularity of Fine Gael and Labour have both reportedly dropped by a point since February, but satisfaction with the government's performance has risen three points.
Support for Sinn Fein has risen by three points while support for Independents and others has declined by two points.
When people were asked who they would vote for if an election were held tomorrow, responders replied Fine Gael, 24 per cent (down one point); Labour, 9 per cent (down one point); Fianna Fail, 26 per cent (no change); Sinn Fein, 21 per cent (up three points); Green Party, 2 per cent (up one point); and Independents/Others, 18 per cent (down two points).
The survey was undertaken among a representative sample of 1,000 voters aged 18 and over, in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points.
At 24 per cent Fine Gael is now at its lowest point since September 2010, and significantly below the 36 per cent it achieved in the general election of February 2011.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s rating has improved and the slide in satisfaction with the government has been halted and has in fact risen by three points since February.
Labor Party Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore's rating has dropped to 16 per cent and he is now significantly below the other main party leaders.
Meanwhile support for Sinn Fein is up over 20 per cent and satisfaction with party leader Gerry Adams is up six points to 33 per cent making him the most popular party leader.
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