FG still out in front amidst growing tensions with FF

Fine Gael is still in pole position to lead the next government, despite a rise in support for Fianna Fáil.

The latest Sunday Business Post/Red C poll comes at a time of increasing tensions between the two parties as they head towards the final budget of their three-year confidence and supply deal.

Fine Gael is down one point to 32 per cent on last month's tracking poll. But it still retains a seven point lead over Fianna Fáil which is up by one point to 25 per cent.

The controversy over Minister for Communications Denis Naughten's contact with a lobbyist for Independent News and Media has not affected Independents, who are up by two points to 13 per cent.

There is also a slight boost for the Independent Alliance, despite the much publicised wrangling over the delayed judicial appointments bill and the fate of Sean Canney TD. It is up by one point to 2 per cent, after sinking to a historic low in last month's poll.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has put herself front and centre of the party's eighth amendment referendum campaign with her face now appearing on posters all around the country. But the poll results will be disappointing for McDonald because her party has lost the two point gain it had made in last month's poll. It is down by two points to 14 per cent.

Then there are all the smaller parties who are campaigning vigorously for the repeal of the eighth amendment. So far, it is not delivering any political gains. Labour is unchanged on 6 per cent, while the Green Party and the Social Democrats remain on 2 per cent. Solidarity-People Before Profit is also unchanged on two per cent. Renua, which is opposing the repeal of the eighth amendment, is down by one point to 1 per cent.

The poll of 1,000 voters was taken over the course of seven days, between Thursday April 19 and Thursday April 25 last.