Your top stories on Thursday: Sinn Féin support slumps; poor water quality found at five Irish beaches

Sharp Sinn Féin slide and Fine Gael gains sees parties neck and neck

Sinn Féin support has slumped again while there has been a recovery for Fine Gael which is now level with Sinn Féin, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll.

Support for Independents, Fianna Fáil and most smaller parties is steady since the last poll in February of this year. Asked which combination of parties they would prefer to form the next government, the most popular option was a continuation of the present Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Green combination which was nominated by 33 per cent. A Government led by Sinn Féin with neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael was chosen by 20 per cent of voters.

This is the first time since 2021 that Fine Gael has been level or ahead of Sinn Féin in an Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll.

Analysis: Sinn Féin support at lowest in series since before last election

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