The Government continues to slide in the eyes of a public that hasn't forgiven it for radically changing its tune after the election, writes Mark Brennock, Political Correspondent
The cutbacks in promised spending continue to be matched by cutbacks in Government support. The Coalition has been under sustained pressure in recent weeks over its unpopular decision to allow the US military use Shannon Airport, the deal with religious congregations over compensation for child abuse and other issues.
But it is undoubtedly the dramatic post-election change of message from boom to cuts that has contributed most to bringing the Government, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil to their lowest support levels since they first came to power in 1997.
From a 61 per cent satisfaction rating on the eve of the May 2002 general election, the Coalition fell to 36 per cent in September, just four months later. News of cuts in services and new charges had been announced and leaked in the intervening months. Few of these "adjustments" had begun to take effect: voters were deserting the Government because they felt they had been misled.
Now the new atmosphere has begun to take effect and the slide has continued. Government satisfaction fell to 33 per cent in October and to just 31 per cent now.
The Taoiseach's Teflon coating has been well and truly penetrated and he has now registered a higher level of dissatisfaction than satisfaction for the second poll running. Fianna Fáil's core support has slumped to 29 per cent, a depth not reached for over a decade.
It is Fianna Fáil that is being hammered, with the minority Government partner registering a marginal increase in support from 5 to 6 per cent. Nevertheless the Tánaiste's personal satisfaction rating has fallen to 45 per cent, her lowest since September 2001 in the aftermath of the O'Flaherty affair.
The most heartening sign for the two main opposition parties is that this time it is they - and not the smaller parties and Independents - who have reaped the entire benefit of the Fianna Fáil slump.
In October last, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats combined had 41 per cent support, while Fine Gael and Labour had just 33 per cent support between them. This week, these two combinations are evenly matched on 38 per cent support each.
PUNDITRY suggesting the death of the traditional Fine Gael-led alternative government is therefore premature. However, Fine Gael's recovery to 22 per cent will be a cause of relief rather than jubilation in the party. The age profile of party support is worrying for it: the younger the voter, the lower the support for Fine Gael.
Enda Kenny is showing no sign of any lift in the leadership stakes. Some 42 per cent have no opinion on him one way or the other. Those who do are evenly divided as to his performance. For Fine Gael, it's a case of a little done, lots to do.
A high proportion of voters have also formed no opinion on Mr Pat Rabbitte's performance as Labour Party leader.
However most of those who have a view are positive about him, with 44 per cent approving and just 19 per cent disapproving of the job he is doing. The party will be satisfied with its rise to 16 per cent support.
The smaller parties and Independents show little change apart from a 2 per cent drop in Green support to 6 per cent. They are in danger of suffering from the stability of the current Government, which, unlike the 1997-2002 coalition, has a clear Dáil majority. The regular focus on how Independents and small parties would vote on key divisions in the last Dáil is therefore gone.
The demands of Independents whose support was needed by the last administration are heard no more. Nevertheless, they are holding their own with support for Sinn Féin, the Green Party and Independents significantly higher in Dublin than elsewhere.
FINE Gael was devastated in Dublin more than anywhere else in the last general election, being reduced to just three seats in the capital.
If it is to recover its credibility as the core component of an alternative government it must make gains in Dublin.
This poll shows encouraging signs of a recovery in the capital but party support in Dublin still lags behind its national standing.
The eight-point drop in approval for Mr Gerry Adams is noteworthy and suggests there may be some loss of patience with the fact that the republican movement has not yet carried out the "acts of completion" required of it to resolve the impasse in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Mr Adams still has a healthy 44 per cent satisfaction rating, with 28 per cent disapproving of how he is doing his job.
His satisfaction level is on a par with those for Mr Ahern, Ms Harney and Mr Rabbitte.
Nevertheless, it is the lowest he has achieved since MRBI began to measure his rating a year ago.
Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent has registered a seven-point drop in approval to 36 per cent. However in his case he has merely reverted to the position he held in most polls last year, barring those after the May election in which he showed a temporary rise in support.
His party has also shed 2 per cent it gained in the aftermath of the election and now stands at 6 per cent.
The consolation for the Government and Fianna Fáil is that this poll does not come before an election. Fianna Fáil has already begun preparing for the local government elections in May, 2004.
The Taoiseach himself has taken a hands-on role in the party organisation, having been alarmed during the Nice Treaty campaign by the inability of the party organisation in a number of areas to produce large numbers of canvassers to work for a Yes vote.
But as the party works to put together slates of candidates around the State - this time with sitting TDs barred from seeking a dual mandate - it has received a warning signal from this poll that it has not received for a long time.