THE LATEST  POLITICAL opinion poll shows support for Fianna Fáil at a new record all-time low – with the country’s traditionally largest party now enjoying the support of just 13% of voters.

The poll, conducted by Red C and commissioned by The Irish Sun, has also revealed that Fianna Fáil (with 70 seats in the Dáil) is now the fourth most-popular party, slipping behind Sinn Féin (with 5 seats) which now commands the support of 16% of voters.

Fine Gael still tops the polls, with support at 32%, while Labour is at 24%. Fianna Fáil’s junior coalition partners, the Greens, remain at 3% while independents and other parties (including the United Left Alliance, which had formed only days before the poll was conducted earlier this week) are at 11%.

All three of the traditionally ‘largest’ parties are down on the last main opinion poll – also conducted by Red C, for the Sunday Business Post on November 21 – with Fianna Fáil down 4 points, Fine Gael down 1, and Labour down 3. Sinn Féin are the biggest winners, up by 5%, while the independent share of the vote increases by the remaining 3%. The Green Party share is unchanged.

The poll sampled 1,000 voters by telephone on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – in the aftermath of the deal on the EU-IMF bailout, and Sinn Féin’s by-election victory in Donegal South West last week.

Red C has also revealed that it believes there to be a ‘shame’ factor in its polls, where true Fianna Fáil voters feel ashamed by admitting their support for the floundering party.

If the poll is adjusted to account for their suspected views, Fianna Fáil would stand on 16, Fine Gael on 31, Labour on 23, and Sinn Féin on 15.

Eamon Gilmore remains the most popular potential Taoiseach, with 41% of voters preferring him to other candidates. Enda Kenny stands on 25%, while just 8% of voters would like to keep Brian Cowen as the country’s leader.

6% of voters are undecided on their preferred premier, while the remaining 20% rejects all three of the main party leaders.

The full results of the Red C poll are published in tomorrow’s Irish Sun.

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