A SURGE IN support for Sinn Féin has put the party 16 points clear of their nearest rivals, according to a new poll.

Sinn Féin are the country’s most popular party on 37%, ahead of Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fáil on 20%, a Behaviour and Attitudes survey for the Sunday Times has shown.

The Green Party has 5%, Labour and the Social Democrats are tied on 3% while Solidarity/People Before Profit and Aontu have 1% each.

Sinn Féin have risen six percentage points since the previous poll.

Fine Gael are unchanged and support for Fianna Fáil has dropped by three points.

Mary Lou McDonald is the country’s most popular political leader on 50%, nine points clear of Taoiseach Micheál Martin on 41%.

Support for Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar is unchanged at 39%.

McDonald was also the most popular leader among voters under 35, with 59% saying they are satisfied with her performance.

She secured a 44% satisfaction rating among people who said they would vote for Fianna Fáil.

The survey was conducted in a series of face to face, in-home interviews among 912 Irish voters between 28 October and last Tuesday.