The situation was outlined in the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll

Fine Gael most popular party in the country - poll

by · RTE.ie

A new opinion poll suggests Fine Gael is the most popular party in the country - but underlines the tightness of the current political race by placing it just one point above Sinn Féin and three points above Fianna Fáil.

The situation is outlined in the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, which was published this evening.

According to the poll, Fine Gael has increased one point compared to the group's previous poll, and is now on 20%.

It suggests Sinn Féin has fallen one point to 19%, and that Fianna Fáil has increased one point to 17%.

Among other parties, the poll suggests the Social Democrats are unchanged on 12%, Independent Ireland has fallen two points to 7%, while Aontú remains unchanged on 6%.

Labour is unchanged on 3%, the Green Party is unchanged on 3%, and People Before Profit-Solidarity is unchanged on 2%, while the poll suggests support for Independents has risen one point to 11%.

The poll was conducted on 3 July, and has a sample size of 1,279 people with a margin of error of +/-2.8%.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns remains the most popular leader in the country

The poll also suggests that the popularity of individual leaders has remained relatively static.

According to the poll, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns remains the most popular leader in the country, but has seen her personal support fall one point to 40% compared to last month.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris's personal support both remain unchanged on 35% and 33% respectively, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald's approval rating has fallen one point to 30%, and Labour leader Ivana Bacik's personal support has fallen two points to 28%.

The Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll separately suggests that Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan is currently those who took part in the survey's favoured next leader of Fianna Fáil.

The poll places Mr O’Callaghan on 52%, ahead of the poll's second favourite Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, who is on 17% and Fianna Fáil's current deputy leader and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers, on 16%.