FINE GAEL HAS dropped to its lowest level of support in the Business Post’s Red C Poll in the Business Post/Red C Poll’s history – which has been running since 2005.

The government party are now sitting at 17%, five points behind both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. Micheál Martin’s party has seen a rise in popularity, rising two points to 22%. Mary Lou McDonald’s party dropped one point to 22%.

Independent candidates have also seen a marginal increase, with their approval rating rising to 13%.

Fine Gael’s polling at 17% puts it one point beneath the party’s previous lowest rating in September 2022, while under the leadership of Leo Varadkar.

The poll comes as Europe is on the cusp of a trade war with Donald Trump’s United States. Within the poll, 45% of respondents said that they approved of the EU’s response to the threat of a trade war, while 19% said they disapproved. Others were neutral or unsure.

Red C interviewed a random sample of 1,002 adults aged 18 and over online between 21 and 26 March.