Poll: Sinn Féin most popular party on 26% while Fine Gael drops to 16%
James Cox
Sinn Féin has regained its position as the most popular party in the country, receiving 26 per cent in the latest political opinion poll.
A new Irish Times/Ipsos poll shows voters have little enthusiasm for the new Government.
This is the first opinion poll since the new Government took office and it is good news for Sinn Féin but mixed for the Coalition.
Sinn Féin has jumped six points to 26 per cent while Fine Gael has fallen three to 16 per cent. This is Fine Gael's lowest opinion poll rating since 1994.
Fianna Fáil is at 22 per cent, the Social Democrats at 7 and Labour at 5.
Micheál Martin is the most popular leader followed by Simon Harris and then May Lou McDonald.
The Taoiseach has a solid 45 per cent satisfaction rating, an increase of one. Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is at 42 per cent (down four points).
While Mary Lou McDonald comes in third with 37 per cent, it is an increase of six points for the Sinn Féin leader.
Perhaps most notably, 64 per cent of voters said the Coalition was wrong to make an agreement with Independent TD Michael Lowry.
Fewer than four per cent (39 per cent) said they were satisfied with the Government. More than half (51 per cent) said they were dissatisfied.
