LAST UPDATE | 17 mins ago

SINN FÉIN REMAINS narrowly ahead of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in the latest opinion poll, despite seeing its support fall by two points.

The latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll puts Sinn Féin on 19%, one point ahead of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, which are both on 18%.

Fine Gael has fallen one point since the previous poll, while Fianna Fáil has gained one.

Independents and others are up two points to 12%, while the Social Democrats have gained one point to stand at 11%.

Aontú remains unchanged on 8%, while Independent Ireland has fallen two points to 5%.
Labour is up one point to 4%, with the Green Party unchanged on 3% and Solidarity-People Before Profit unchanged on 2%.

The poll comes just two days before the government unveils Budget 2027, with the cost of living continuing to dominate voters’ concerns.

It found that 59% of respondents identified the cost of living as one of the two most important issues facing the country, followed by housing on 43% and immigration on 23%.

The poll also found that 62% disapprove of the government’s performance, compared with 29% who approve and 9% who said they did not know.

McDonald approval rises

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns continues to have the highest approval rating among the party leaders included in the poll, rising one point to 41%.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is also up one point to 38%, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald’s approval rating has risen three points to 34%.

McDonald’s increase follows a week in which she was prominent in the renewed Drumcree dispute, joining First Minister Michelle O’Neill and protesters on the Garvaghy Road last Sunday and taking part in subsequent talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant.

Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is down one point to 33%, while Labour leader Ivana Bacik rises one point to 30% and Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins rises one point to 27%.

The poll also examined voters’ expectations ahead of Tuesday’s Budget.

Some 37% of respondents said they expect to be worse off following Budget 2027, while 16% expect to be better off.

Another 40% expect their circumstances to remain unchanged, while 7% said they were unsure.

It comes as the government prepares to unveil its latest package of tax and spending measures on Tuesday.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has already confirmed that the government intends to reduce the carbon tax on home heating oil to the minimum level permitted under EU rules as part of the budget.