SINN FÉIN HAS slumped five points while Fine Gael recovered ground in the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll.

Coming as a blow to Mary Lou McDonald, the poll puts Sinn Féin and Fine Gael level as the most popular parties at 23% each after Fine Gael saw a four point boost.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said on Newstalk this morning that the opinion poll gives “confidence” to the prospects of the current coalition government, and that though Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green party are “very separate”, the results indicate it could win another term.

Taoiseach Simon Harris would not comment on whether the results are down to a “Harris hop”, and said that opinion polls come and go. 

“Let’s be honest, politicians always refer to the up than down in terms of opinion polls and what I certainly hope it gives is a little bit of a morale boost to my incredible candidates right across the country,” Harris added.

He went on to say that he is “obsessed” with delivering, and that an opinion poll will inspire him to “work harder”. 

When asked which party, if any, they would vote for in an immediate general election, the state of the parties were as follows:

• Sinn Féin 23% (-5)
• Fine Gael 23% (+4)
• Fianna Fáil 20% (no change)
• Independents and Others 17% (no change)
• Labour 5% (+1)
• The Green Party 4% (-1)
• The Social Democrats 3% (-1)
• People Before Profit/Solidarity 2% (no change)
• Aontú 1% (no change) 
• Independent Ireland 0%

The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2% with 1,500 personal in-home interviews conducted between May 11 and 15.  Undecided voters and those unlikely to vote are excluded.

Micheál Martin remains the most popular party leader at 46% (+2), while Simon Harris came in at 38% in what is his first poll. 

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald saw her popularity fall two points to 36% while Eamon Ryan, the leader of the Green Party was up one point to 21%.

When asked which combination of parties they would like to see in the next government, the most popular response was a continuation of the existing Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green coalition at 33%. 

Some 20% said they would like to see a Sinn Féin led government that did not include Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.