TWO OPINION POLLS published in newspapers today have found that Sinn Féin is the most popular political party in the country.

The latest Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll finds that Sinn Féin leads Fine Gael by 10%. Sinn Féin increased in popularity by three percentage points to 33%, while Fine Gael dropped two to 23%.

The party also secured top place in the Business Post/Red C poll for the first time since Red C began its tracking for the newspaper in 2003.

In that publication, Sinn Féin remains on 29% of the vote, while Fine Gael dropped two points to 28%.

The two polls are the first released since senior Fine Gael figures became embroiled in the controversy over the appointment of Katherine Zappone as a UN special envoy.

In the Sunday Times poll, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s personal satisfaction rating has fallen by nine points, to 39%.

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald dropped one point on the last poll but she remains the most popular party leader, with a 48% satisfaction rating.

Ratings have remained unchanged for Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin (45%) and Labour’s Alan Kelly (44%), while Green leader Eamon Ryan’s rating has risen by two points to 34%.

The Sunday Times poll shows overall satisfaction with the government has fallen by four points to 42%.

In the Business Post/Red C poll, support for Fianna Fáil is unchanged on 13%, Labour has gained two points to 5%, the Social Democrats gained one point and also sit on 5%.

The Green Party has fallen one to 4%, Solidarity-People Before Profit are up by one point to 3%, Aontú is unchanged on 2% while independents are down one point to 10%. 

More of The Sunday Times and Business Post poll findings are available in the newspapers and on their websites.