A coalition of Fine Gael and Labour is likely to lead the next government, according to an opinion poll published this morning.
With just a year to go before the next general election, the Red C poll shows support for both parties has risen by three points in the last month, while support for Fianna Fail has fallen by the same amount since the previous poll.
Combined support for Fine Gael and Labour is more than support for Fianna Fail and the PDs, for the first time this year, according to the latest Sunday Business Post survey. But Fine Gael and Labour would need the support of the Greens, and probably some independent TDs, to form a government.
At just 35 per cent today - almost 7 per cent behind its 2002 general election vote - Fianna Fail faces a struggle before the election.
The findings of today's poll mirror the results of a poll published earlier this month in The Irish Times.
It showed Fine Gael had made a substantial gain in public support and Fianna Fáil had suffered a matching slump.
The Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion poll said the state of the parties was: Fianna Fáil 31 per cent, down 6 from the last Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll in January; Fine Gael 28 per cent, up 4; Labour 15 per cent, down 1; Sinn Féin 9 per cent, unchanged; Green Party 5 per cent, up 1; Progressive Democrats 3 per cent, unchanged; others and independents 9 per cent, up 1.
Core support was: Fianna Fáil 30 per cent, down 6; Fine Gael 21 per cent, up 3; Labour 11 per cent, down 1; Sinn Féin 7 per cent, unchanged; Green Party 4 per cent, up 1; Progressive Democrats 2 per cent, down 1; others and independents 8 per cent, up 1; undecided 17 per cent, up 2.