Rural Ireland Thinks poll: More to do for Fianna Fáil to win votes in rural Ireland

With the clock now ticking down to a general election, Micheál Martin will have to cover significant ground to ensure his party's traditional supporter base is not eroded

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has scheduled two days at the National Ploughing Championships and will be there to speak to rural voters on Wednesday as well as Thursday. Picture: Brian Lawless

Fianna Fáil has long known it has "work to do" to gain seats in Dublin, but the Irish Examiner's poll shows a party that is also losing support among its rural base.

Taoiseach Simon Harris, just five months in the job, is now also a more popular party leader than Micheál Martin among those living in rural Ireland, another indication that Fianna Fáil has ground to make up.