The Government, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil have all made substantial gains in public support in the wake of last month's Budget, according to the latest Irish Times/ TNS mrbi opinion poll.
The potential alternative coalition has made no effective gain since the last poll in September, with Fine Gael support slipping slightly by one percentage point, although Labour has gained two points.
The state of the parties is: Fianna Fáil 37 per cent, up three points since the last Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll last September; Fine Gael 24 per cent, down 1; Labour 16 per cent, up 2; Sinn Féin 9 per cent, down 1; Green Party 4 per cent, down 1; Progressive Democrats 3 per cent, down 1; others 8 per cent, unchanged.
Core support is Fianna Fáil 36 per cent, up 5; Fine Gael 18 per cent, unchanged; Labour 12 per cent, up two; Sinn Féin 7 per cent, down 1; Green Party 3 per cent, down 1; Progressive Democrats 3 per cent, unchanged; others 7 per cent, unchanged; undecided 15 per cent, down 5.
These core figures show that a quarter of those who were undecided last September now have a clear preference, and most of these have gone to Fianna Fáil, with some to Labour.
The poll was conducted last Monday and Tuesday among a national quota sample of 1,000 people at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State.
The boost for the Government, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil comes after a well-received Budget. The current heavy advertising signalling the imminent coming to fruition of the more than one million SSIA accounts may also have created a feel-good factor from which the Government has benefited.
Satisfaction with the Government has risen 9 percentage points since September to 46 per cent and is the highest for a year.
Some 46 per cent are dissatisfied, down 12 points and 8 per cent have no opinion, up 3 points.
This is mirrored by the satisfaction rating for the Taoiseach which is up 9 points to 56 per cent. Some 37 per cent are dissatisfied, down 10 points, and 7 per cent have no opinion, up 1.
Satisfaction with the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, is up modestly from 38 to 40 per cent. Some 29 per cent are dissatisfied, down 2, and 32 per cent have no opinion, up one.
Satisfaction with the Labour leader, Pat Rabbitte, has risen 4 points to 48 per cent since September, with 25 per cent dissatisfied, down 1, and 27 per cent have no opinion, down 3.
Mr Rabbitte's improvement and the two-point increase for his party come soon after his intervention in the debate about immigrant labour, in which he suggested the influx of foreign workers was displacing Irish workers, and that the reintroduction of a work permit system should be considered for east Europeans. Labour has a particularly good showing in Dublin, where many marginal seats are based, and it has a comfortable lead over both Fine Gael and the Green Party in the capital.
Some 39 per cent are satisfied with the performance of the Tánaiste and PD leader, Mary Harney, down 1 point, 52 per cent are dissatisfied, up 2 points and 9 per cent have no opinion, down 1.
The approval ratings for the Sinn Féin and Green Party leaders remain virtually static. Some 40 per cent are satisfied with the performance of Gerry Adams, up 1 point; 35 per cent are dissatisfied, down 1, and 26 per cent have no opinion. Sinn Féin's support level at 9 per cent has fallen back to levels achieved in February 2003. It is marginally higher than the general election result of 2002.
In relation to Trevor Sargent 32 per cent are satisfied, down 2; 24 per cent dissatisfied, up one, and 44 per cent have no opinion, up one point. Green Party support at 4 per cent has remained almost static since the last election.