AN OPINION POLL has indicated that support for Fine Gael has slumped to a record low, while Sinn Féin is enjoying its highest ever level of support among voters.

The latest Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll indicates that as Mary Lou McDonald’s party remains the most popular, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s has taken an eight-point hit compared to the previous poll.

According to the opinion poll, Sinn Féin have increased by five points to 37% while support for Fianna Fáil has seen a one-point increase to 21%, making them the second most popular party.

Fine Gael have dropped by eight points to 15%, making them the third most popular party. 

This is a seven-point drop on the Fine Gael vote in the 2020 general election, and the lowest support for the party recorded in a B&A poll.

The findings comes after the Government’s decision not to extend the eviction ban, which ended on 31 March.

The issue has dominated political discussion in recent weeks, prompting several heated exchanges in the Dáil and seeing the Government survive a no confidence motion by 86 votes to 67. 

Meanwhile, support for the Green Party has seen a one point increase to 6% while Labour has fallen by one point to 4%.

The Social Democrats and Solidarity-People Before Profit both remain unchanged at 4% and 2%, respectively. Aontu has increase by two points to 2%.

The popularity of Independent TDs has fallen slightly, with a one point drop to 8% support.

Approval ratings

The poll also puts Mary Lou McDonald as the country’s most popular leader at 48%, while Leo Varadkar’s approval rating has dropped from 41% in February to 34%, his lowest since February 2020.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s approval rating has also dropped, from 52% in February to 45%.

The poll was conducted between 28 March and 4 April. The margin of error was 3.3%.