Sinn Féin and Fine Gael level in latest poll, as Fianna Fáil fall to two-year low

SINN FÉIN AND Fine Gael are neck-and-neck, according to a new Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll.

Both parties sit on 20%, while support for Fianna Fáil has dropped to a two-year low of 16%.

The Social Democrats has also seen a 2% drop in its support since 5 July, with it now sitting on 10%.

Independent Ireland remains unchanged on 7%, Aontú has risen by a point to also sit on 7%, while Labour also remain unchanged on 3%.

The Green Party and People Before Profit are also unchanged, at 3% and 2% respectively.

Independents and others meanwhile have seen a 1% rise in support, to 12%.

The poll was conducted on Friday, 31 July, with a sample size of 1,384 and a margin of error of +/-2.7%.

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Meanwhile, there is little change in the approval rating of several party leaders.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has seen a 2% dip in her approval ratings, down to 38%, but Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin (35%), Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald (30%), and Labour’s Ivana Bacik (28%) are all unchanged.

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris meanwhile has seen a 1% rise in his support, to 34%.

And while Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s approval ratings are unchanged, his party colleague and justice minister Jim O’Callaghan has a higher approval rating at 42%.

Elsewhere, cost of living, housing, and immigration are the priorities most important o voters.

When asked which two issues are the most important priorities to deal with, cost of living was listed by 49% of participants, housing by 44%, and immigration by 29%.

Meanwhile, a majority disapprove of the government’s “handling of its job”, while 32% approve.

A majority also said they were adhering to the hosepipe that is in place nationwide until 26 August, with 70% saying they are adhering to it and only 14% not adhering to it.