Micheál Martin most popular party leader with 40% approval

Micheál Martin’s grip on Fianna Fáil, ahead of the looming general election, has been strengthened by a poll bounce.

Despite Mr Martin’s public spat with Senator Averil Power, as she stormed out of the party accusing him of “cowardice”, the party leader’s assured handling of the Siteserv/IBRC controversy has appealed to voters.

Fianna Fáil has climbed above the 20% mark for the first time in a year, in a poll by Behaviour & Attitudes, for the Sunday Times.

After a rocky six months Mr Martin has emerged as the most popular party leader, with an approval rating of 40%. Ending a run of six consecutive Dail byelection defeats with victory in Carlow-Kilkenny in May, quelled talk of a heave, and party colleagues rallied around him after damning comments from Ms Power, who claimed he had been two-faced about the marriage-equality referendum.

Fine Gael has dropped three points to 24%, while Fianna Fáil has regained second place, with a four-point rise to 21%. Sinn Féin has slipped a point, to 19%, while Labour gained one, to rise to 9%, with support for independents down a point, to 28%. The figures are likely to dampen enthusiasm in parts of Fine Gael for a cut-and-run election after a generous October Budget. Labour wants to hold-off until March before going to the polls.