Latest opinion poll has Sinn Féin and Fine Gael out in front ahead of Fianna Fáil

Mary Lou McDonald's party is up two points over the past month.

A new opinion poll shows Sinn Féin and Fine Gael are by far the two most popular political parties in the country.

The two have opened up a significant gap over Fianna Fáil in recent polls.

Sinn Féin is the most popular party in Ireland with 32%support, according to a new Sunday Times/Behaviour and Attitudes poll.

Mary Lou McDonald's party is up two points over the past month.

Fine Gael similarly rise one percentage point to 30% support overall.

Fianna Fáil is down one to 19% support, a difference from the 10% support given in a recent Red C poll.

The Greens fall one to 5%, Labour are unchanged at 3%, while the Social Democrats and Solidarity/People Before Profit are both also unchanged at 1%support each.

Independents and others are on 9%.

The poll bears out the recent trend of Sinn Féin's popularity since the election and Fine Gael's resurgence after the initial handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The poll was taken over 12 days up until last Tuesday, so will not have captured the full extent of the public's reaction to the new Covid-19 roadmap or extra restrictions in Dublin.