NEW POLLING PUTS Sinn Féin as the most popular party in the country.

According to the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, support for Mary Lou McDonald’s party rose by one point in the last month to 21%, two points clear of Fine Gael, who dropped one point to 19%. 

The parties were neck-and-neck in last month’s poll.

Support for Fianna Fáil rose by one point to 17%. 

It comes as all three parties prepare to hold their annual think-ins this week, with Budget 2027 exactly a month away. 

Elsewhere, the poll puts support for Peadar Tóibín’s Aontú at 8%, up by one point to a record high.

The Social Democrats remain unchanged on 10%, while Independent Ireland also saw no change at 7%. 

Labour and the Green Party are also unchanged on 3% with People Before Profit-Solidarity still on 2%.

Support for independents and others dropped two points to 10%.

A month out from the budget, the poll asked which issues should be the two most important priorities to deal with. 

Of those surveyed, 47% said the cost of living was their main concern, with housing coming in at 42%.

Immigration was cited by 25%, followed by healthcare at 13% and climate change at 12%. 

Some 63% said they disapprove of how the government is handling its job, with 29% saying they approve. 

The poll was conducted on 4 September. The sample size was 1,044 and the margin of error is 3.1%.