Support for Fianna Fáil has slipped to another record low, according to the latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll published tomorrow.
The poll also shows that satisfaction with the Government is running at just 11 per cent with 85 per cent of voters expressing dissatisfaction with its performance.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s satisfaction rating has dropped to just 15 per cent with 77 per cent saying they are dissatisfied with the way he is doing his job.
When people were asked who they would vote for if there was a general election tomorrow, the adjusted figures for party support, compared with the last Irish Times poll in June were: Fianna Fáil, 17 per cent (down 3 points); Fine Gael, 34 per cent (down 2 points); Labour, 24 per cent (up 1 point); Sinn Féin, 10 per cent (up 2 points); Green Party, 3 per cent (no change); and Independents/others, 12 per cent (up 2 points).
The poll was taken on Monday and Tuesday of this week among a representative sample of 1,000 voters in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies. The margin of error is 3 per cent.
The core vote for the parties (before undecided voters are excluded) compared with the last Irish Times poll was: Fianna Fáil, 16 per cent (down 3 points); Fine Gael, 26 per cent (down 2 points); Labour, 18 per cent (up 1 point); Sinn Féin, 9 per cent (up 1 point); Green Party, 2 per cent (no change); Independents/ others, 9 per cent (up 2 points); and undecided voters 20 per cent (up 1 point).
Labour has now pushed Fianna Fail into third place in terms of core vote for the first time with Fine Gael maintaining the position it achieved in recent polls and in the June elections as the biggest party in the country.
In Dublin Labour is in first place with 25 per cent, one point ahead of Fine Gael on 24 per cent with Fianna Fail trailing back in fourth place in the capital on 11 per cent, a point behind Sinn Fein.
The Green Party share of the vote has not changed since the last poll but satisfaction with the party leader, John Gormley, has dropped eight points to 19 per cent.
The Sinn Féin vote is up since May but the satisfaction with party president, Gerry Adams, has dropped to 28 per cent, which is his lowest rating since he was included in TNS, mrbi polls.
The satisfaction rating of Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has dropped six points over the summer to a record low of 15 per cent. Among Fianna Fail supporters 44 per cent are now dissatisfied with his performance with 50 per cent satisfied.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny’s rating has also dropped. He is down 2 points to 29 per cent and continues to trail his party. Labour leader Eamon Gilmore who remains the by far the most popular political figure on 47 per cent, a drop of 2 points since the last poll.