Poll shows FF-PD coalition could secure third term

Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats are on course for a third term in office, according to an opinion poll published this morning.

The Irish Examiner/Lansdowne poll puts support for Fianna Fáil at 39% and for the PDs at 6%, despite a string of problems for the Government in recent months.

Both parties have seen their support increase by one percentage point since the last Irish Examiner poll a year ago.

Their share of the vote is also well ahead of the alternative coalition, with Fine Gael support put at 24%, up one point from last year, and Labour at 10%, down two points in the past 12 months.

The Greens have 6% support in today's poll, meaning that even a three-way rainbow coalition would fail to command as many votes as Fianna Fáil and the PDs.

Elsewhere, support for Sinn Féin has fallen by one point to 9%, with support for independents and others remaining static at 6%.