A poll published in The Irish Timestoday has indicated a marginal loss in support for Sinn Féin following recent controversies while the Government seems to have benefited from its recent change of image.
Support for Sinn Féin has fallen just one point since October to 11 per cent, although disapproval of Mr Gerry Adams's leadership of his party has risen a full 14 points to 38 per cent.
Satisfaction with the Government has risen to 52 per cent, up nine percentage points since the last poll in October and 18 points since a similar poll last June. Forty per cent are dissatisfied, down nine points, and an unchanged 8 per cent have no opinion.
With Fianna Fáil support up three points to 38 per cent and the Progressive Democrats up one point to 4 per cent, the Coalition parties are for the first time approaching the support levels required to secure a third term.
The state of the parties is: Fianna Fáil 38 per cent, up three percentage points since the last Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll last October; Fine Gael 22 per cent, down two points; Labour 13 per cent, unchanged; Sinn Féin 11 per cent, down one point; Progressive Democrats 4 per cent, up one; Green Party 4 per cent, unchanged; and others 8 per cent, down two.