An opinion poll published today shows little change in Sinn Féin's popularity despite recent controversies that have hit the party.
The party's estimated support fell by just 1 per cent from 10 per cent to 9 per cent among a sample of just over 1,000 people questioned on Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, party leader Mr Gerry Adams has suffered a significant drop in popularity, falling by 20 per cent to a low of 31 per cent in the Millward Brown IMS poll, published in this morning's Irish Independent.
Since the last Millward Brown IMS poll was taken in November, Sinn Féin has been hit by criticisms over the alleged involvement of the IRA in the Northern Bank robbery, and the brutal murder by a figure said to be a senior IRA member of Mr Robery McCartney in Belfast.
The party was sanctioned earlier this week by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr Paul Murphy, who announced a package of financial sanctions against Sinn Féin.
Sinn Féin's Stormont Assembly party block grant of £120,000 sterling has been withheld for a further year when the existing penalty expires at the end of April.
The party may also lose an estimated £500,000 annually if the British government's proposal to suspend the secretarial allowances and other expenses of Sinn Féin's four Westminster MPs is accepted by parliament.