Support for Labour drops as Sinn Féin popularity rises again

Fine Gael support remains unchanged according to latest Red C Poll

The latest Red C opinion poll shows that both Labour and Fianna Fáil have lost public support, while backing for Fine Gael remains unchanged.

The opinion poll published in today's Sunday Business Post shows Labour has dropped two points to 7 per cent since January 2015, with Fine Gael remaining at 24 per cent.

The paper reported that Fine Gael would need to rise to at least 30 per cent, and Labour to the early teens, to achieve re-election in 2016.

Fianna Fáil’s popularity has also dropped one point to 18 per cent.

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Meanwhile, Sinn Féin rose by one point to 21 per cent, following a drop of 4 per cent over the Christmas period.

Journalist Pat Leahy told Newstalk radio the coalition Government was "miles away" from being re-elected in 2016.

“Were these numbers to be reproduced in a general election there is no question of Fine Gael and Labour being re-elected as a coalition Government,” said Leahy.

“Were they to be reflected on the day in a general election, you would see a massacre of Labour seats and a huge culling of Fine Gael seats.”

According to the poll, Independents and others are up by 2 points to 30 per cent with the Greens rising by 3 per cent. Lucinda Creighton's new party also weighs in at 1 per cent.

The Red C poll was carried out through interviews with a random sample of 1,005 adults around the State over telephone in the past week.