Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said today that his party's performance in the latest opinion poll is "solid" but he pointed out that it is a long time before the next general election.
Mr Rabbitte, whose party's support remains static at 13%, said the poll shows the coalition government and the alternative on offer to voters are "neck-and-neck".
The Labour leader maintained that he believes the prospects of Fianna Fáil and the PDs forming a government after the next general election are "nil".
Mr Rabbitte said it is bad for politics and for democracy to have the same people in charge for too long.