A new poll indicates support for Fianna Fail is now at 39 per cent of voters, three points up on the party's mid-summer position, reports Tim O'Brien.
Support for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has also risen. His satisfaction rating is now at 66 per cent, just two points short of his high of 68 per cent.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, has also enjoyed a rise in popularity with her satisfaction rating at 56 per cent - up 18 points on the position last September, according to the poll which was carried out by Irish Marketing Surveys, and commissioned by the Irish Independent.
The poll suggests that, allowing for the "don't knows" Fianna Fail would have support of 47 per cent in the event of a general election.
However, the committed support of 39 per cent is still not enough to give the party an overall majority in Leinster House, in a general election. The bad new appears to be reserved for the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, who received only a 39 per cent satisfaction rating, coupled with a 51 per cent dissatisfied rating.
The poll indicated the Fine Gael vote at 19 per cent, Labour at 10 per cent and the PDs at 3 per cent. The Greens were put at 4 per cent and Sinn Fein at 5 per cent.