New poll puts Fianna Fáil as most popular party
Fianna Fáil is now the most popular party in the country, according to a new opinion poll to be published tomorrow.
The IPSOS MRBI poll for the Irish Times shows Micheál Martin's party are on 26% - a point clear of Fine Gael and well ahead of Sinn Féin and Labour.
However the poll was taken on Monday and Tuesday before the landmark deal on Ireland's banking debt.
When asked who they would vote for in a General Election, 26% of the people surveyed said Fianna Fáil, a rise of five points since the last poll in October.
Some 25% said Fine Gael, a fall of six points, while support for Sinn Féin fell two points to 18%.
Labour are also down two points to 10%, according to the poll, while The Greens are on 1% and independents and Others are on 20%, up six points.
Satisfaction with the Government is down three points to 18%, while the Taoiseach's personal satisfaction rating is down four to 29%, the same rating as his opposite number in Fianna Fáil.
The poll was taken before this week's deal on the promissory notes, and so doesn't reflect the positive bounce the Government are expecting.
But neither would the figures reflect the full impact of the coalition's handling of the McAleese report on the Magdalene Laundries.
