FINE GAEL'S solid standing at the top of the opinion polls has been cemented by the latest survey of voter intentions, which has shown it retaining the support of 38 per cent of the electorate - but there's terrible news for Fianna Fáil, which has sunk to its lowest approval rating in history.

The poll for today's Irish Independent, carried out by Millward Browne, puts Fine Gael a full 15 per cent clear of Labour, which loses one point since the last comparable poll to sit on 23 per cent.

Fine Gael's share, since the most recent Millward Brown poll, is up by a whopping eight points - with Enda Kenny's party the only one to gain ground on the last poll.

Fianna Fáil's support, however, is a major talking point: despite the installation of Micheál Martin as a new leader, the party has dropped four points since the last Millward Brown poll - to a new all-time record low of just 12 per cent.

Sinn Féin sits two behind, dropping three points to 10, while the Green Party remains unchanged at 1 per cent; independents and others account for the other 16 per cent of support.

The poll - published in full today - does not take account of voters' beliefs following last night's RTÉ leaders' debate, after which TheJournal.ie's readers awarded a narrow victory to Enda Kenny.

Irish Independent / Millward Brown opinion poll
(Results from last weekend's Sunday Business Post/Red C poll in brackets):

• Fine Gael 38 (38)
• Labour 23 (20)
• Fianna Fáil 12 (15)
• Sinn Féin 10 (10)
• Green Party 1 (3)
• Independents 16 (14)

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