Support for Fine Gael reaches record low in latest poll
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Sinn Féin remains the most popular party in the country, according to a pair of opinion polls released on Sunday.
A Behaviour and Attitudes survey for the Sunday Times shows Mary Lou McDonald's party on 35% - down only a point on July's poll.
While Sinn Féin remains ahead, Fianna Fáil has increased its support to 24%, up three points.
Party members also pointed out that the poll took place in the midst of the Robert Troy controversy.
For Fine Gael, however, it finds itself adrift of its coalition partner on 20%, down a point. With the Green Party on 5%, the overall support for the Government parties is down three points.
Labour finds itself down two to 4%, the Social Democrats rise by one to 3%, People Before Profit climb by one point to 2% and Aontu is down one point to 0%.
The margin of error is 3.3 percentage points.
A Red C poll published for the Business Post makes even grimmer reading for Fine Gael.
With Sinn Féin at 35%, also down a point, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar's party records its worst result in a Red C/Business Post poll since they started in 2005 - 18% of support.
It marks the third such poll in a row that the party has lost support.
In that poll, Fianna Fáil climbs by three points to 17%, the Green Party up one to 5%, the Social Democrats unchanged at 4%, Labour up one point to 4%, People Before Profit down one to 3%, Aontú down one to 2% and Independents at 12%, unchanged.
The polls will make uncomfortable reading for Mr Varadkar whose party held its think-in in Kilkenny on Friday.
TDs, Senators and MEPs were told to get on election footing as the party targets a 32% share of the vote.
TDs, senators, and MEPs have been told to begin campaigning and have been given a set of key messages to bring to the doorsteps during a lengthy presentation on election strategy.
Leo Varardkar's party has also been advised to stay on brand and use a number of specific slogans when speaking to the media or to voters, including the key promises that Fine Gael will "put money back in your pocket" and will "make work pay".
Members were also given details of focus-group polling which found that hospital waiting lists are still the top issue for voters at 84%, followed by worries over the cost of living at 80%. Housing also features strongly.