The latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion polls shows that an alternative government made up of Fine Gael and Labour with the possible support of the Green Party has pulled ahead of the current Government in terms of popular support.
According to today's Irish Times, the poll showed that although a majority of people are optimistic about their own future and that of the economy, there was a noticeable difference between supporters of the alternative governments. Those who would vote for a Fine Gael-Labour coalition are far less optimistic about the future than supporters of the current Coaltion.
In addition, 41 per cent of voters believe that the most likely coalition outcome is one of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats compared to 23 per cent for a rainbow coalition.
The majority of Fianna Fáil voters, 79 per cent, believe their party and the PDs will form the next government, while 20 per cent of Fine Gael and Labour supporters also expect to see the Fianna Fáil-PD coalition returning to power.
When asked which of two possible coalitions - Fianna Fáil and the PDs, or Fine Gael, Labour and possibly the Greens - they would like to see forming the next government, 36 per cent of those polled opted for the Fine Gael-Labour-led alternative, while 35 per cent supported the current Coalition.
Fifteen per cent said they would not like to see either alternative forming the government, while 14 per cent had no opinion.
This represents a significant change since last November, when the question was last asked in an Irish Timespoll. At that point the FF-PD coalition, with 42 per cent support, was 11 points ahead of the Fine Gael-led alternative, which was on 31 per cent.
Among social groups, farmers are the strongest supporters of a Fine Gael-Labour-Greens coalition, with 40 per cent of them backing the option compared with 37 per cent for the current Government.
But when asked which of the two coalition options was likely to actually form the next government 41 per cent of those polled saying a Fianna Fáil-PD coalition was most likely to win power, while just 23 per cent of people predicted a Fine Gael-Labour-led government.
Fine Gael supporters are not nearly as confident as Fianna Fáil voters about their own party's prospects. Only 56 per cent of Fine Gael voters believe their party will lead the next government, while among Labour supporters just 37 per cent expect the alternative to win.