FINE GAEL’S POPULARITY has fallen this week but the party continues to top preferences, according to the latest Business Post/Red C opinion poll.

Support for the party is at 29%, slightly above Sinn Féin, which the poll puts at 27%.

Fine Gael has fallen by four percentage points since the previous poll and Sinn Féin has fallen by three.

Fianna Fáil’s support has risen by four points, but it is the least popular choice of the three parties at 16%.

The Green Party remains steady at 5%, with the Social Democrats rising by one point to meet it with same popularity.

Labour, Solidarity-PBP and Aontú are unchanged from the last poll at 3%, 3% and 2% respectively.

Independent candidates attracted 10% of first preferences, a rise of two percentage points.

14% of voters are undecided.

The poll was taken of 1,000 adults between 21 and 28 January.

Participants were asked which party or independent candidate they would give their first preference vote to there was a general election the next day.

Asked about their attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccines, 85% said they would take current and new vaccines if they are shown to be safe and effective.

70% believe pubs and restaurants should not be reopened until most of the population have been vaccinated 86% support a 14-day quarantine in a hotel for people arriving into Ireland at their own expense.

Almost half – 46% – feel that the government is doing a good job at rolling out the vaccines as quickly as possible. 47% disagreed, with 7% saying they didn’t know.

56% agree that schools should re-open in February if cases continue to decline at the current rates.