Fianna Fail is more popular than Fine Gael for the first time in two years, a poll has revealed.
Micheal Martin’s party is up four points to 29%, as campaigns for next month’s local and European elections kick off.
Voter support for Fine Gael, meanwhile, is down three points to 28%, according to the Behaviour & Attitudes poll for The Sunday Times.
This marks the first time Fianna Fail has pulled ahead of Fine Gael in the B&A poll since July 2017.
It is in sharp contrast to the 13-point lead it enjoyed as recently as last July.
The drop for Fine Gael is due in large part to a growing discontent with the party amongst farmers, a key demographic for the party. It has dropped 10 points to 37%.
Support amongst voters aged 35-54, a demographic more likely to get out and vote than others, also dropped seven points to 23%.
However, Fine Gael has become more appealing among younger voters, with the party’s popularity rising five points to 30% among voters under the age of 35.
Girl, 9, killed and boy, 7, seriously injured after being hit by car while cycling in Co Galway
But despite the dip in his party’s popularity, voter support for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has shot up five points to 45%.
It is thought to be thanks to his recent shows of strength as Brexit chaos continues.
Mr Martin himself is also proving slightly more popular amongst voters, with his personal approval rating up two points, also to 45%.
This means that the two main party leaders are neck and neck when it comes to the personal popularity contest.
Support for Sinn Fein is up two points to 21%, with support for party leader Mary Lou McDonald dipping one point to 38%, her lowest rating in 15 months.
The poll suggests little movement for the smaller parties. Support for Labour is down one point to 4%. The Green Party is down two points to 1%, Solidarity/PBP support remains unchanged at 1% and the Social Democrats are up one point to 1%.
Meanwhile, another political poll paints a slightly different picture, with Fine Gael poised for victory in the European elections on May 24.
With 33% of voters supporting the party, Fine Gael looks set to retain all of is MEP seats, according to the latest Sunday Business Post/Red C poll.
Fianna Fail’s candidates, meanwhile, only appear to have the support of 21% of the electorate.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan condemns Saoradh's 'disturbing' march through Dublin
