SUPPORT for the Government Coalition parties has risen by two percentage points since October, according to a Sunday In dependent/IMS poll which was conducted last Thursday.
The poll shows a rise in support for Fine Gael of three percentage points since an IMS poll in October, to 24 per cent. Support for the Labour Party has remained static at 12 per cent. Support for Democratic Left has decreased by half from October's poll to 1 per cent.
Fianna Fail has 47 per cent support, a drop of 3 percentage points. Support for the Progressive Democrats has increased by two percentage points, to 7 per cent, putting support for a potential rival coalition at 54 per cent - 17 percentages points ahead of the Government.
Satisfaction with the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has fallen from 51 per cent to 49 per cent, while satisfaction with the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, has dropped from 47 per cent to 45 per cent.
Satisfaction with the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has remained the same since the October poll, at 51 per cent.
The leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Mary Harney, emerged as the most popular party leader with a 65 per cent satisfaction rating, an increase of five percentage points.
Satisfaction with the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, was up four percentage points to 55 per cent.