FINE GAEL HAS received a boost following Simon Harris’s election as Taoiseach, according to the findings of a new poll.

According to an Opinions survey for the Sunday Times, Fine Gael is on 20 per cent, an increase of three percent since Opinions polled voters on their first vote preference last month.

However, Sinn Féin remains the most popular party by some distance – Mary Lou McDonald’s party has 27% support, an increase of one point.

Elsewhere, the Social Democrats are down three points in a month to 4 per cent and Aontú is down one to 3 per cent.

The state of the parties sees Fianna Fail is unchanged on 16 per cent compared to a poll conducted last month. Independents and others are down one to 16 per cent and the Green Party are up one to 6 per cent.

Labour is unchanged on 5 per cent and Solidarity-People Before Profit are unchanged on 3 per cent

The Opinions poll was carried out for the Sunday Times and covered a period between April 12 and 17, covering the first days of Harris’s time as leader. It used a sample of 1,100 adults.

The combined support of the three government parties stands at 42%. When the parties entered government together their combined support was 51%.

Simon Harris’s election as ­taoiseach has boosted public ­support for Fine Gael, but Sinn Fein remains on course to be the largest party after the next ­general election.

The inaugural Opinions poll for The Sunday Times also finds that one in four voters — 26 per cent — are more likely to consider voting Fine Gael at the next election.

Almost the same proportion, 24 per cent, say they are now less likely to vote for the party while half the public say it has made no difference.

It contrasts with the findings of a poll carried out earlier this month for The Journal, which found that 15% of Irish voters were less likely to vote for Fine Gael in the upcoming European elections as a result of Simon Harris becoming leader of the party.

The results from the latest The Journal/Ireland Thinks European Elections series published today will come as a knock to Harris, with the biggest loss of support visible among the 18-34-year-old age group.

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