With just five days to go to the election, all three of the largest political parties are neck-and-neck, according to this weekend’s Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, while a similar percentage of voters plan to vote Independent, and Aontú are up 2 points.
Independents rose 3 points to 19%, while a slump of 4 points for Fine Gael in the poll means there is very little between the three main parties, with Sinn Féin up 2 points while Fianna Fáil remain unchanged.
Today’s opinion poll of 1,420 respondents shows Fine Gael is down four points to 22pc. There is very little between the big three parties, with Fianna Fáil’s support unchanged at 20pc.
When voters were presented with their constituency ballot papers, support between the parties tightens further, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil both on 20pc and Sinn Féin on 18pc.
The state of other parties before respondents saw ballot papers is: Aontú 5pc (+2), Soc Dems 5pc (-1), Labour 4pc (-), Greens 3pc (-1), Solidarity-PBP 2pc (-), and Independents/Other 19pc (+3).
When respondents were presented with their ballots, the results are: Social Democrats 5pc, Labour Party 4pc, Aontú 6pc, Green Party 4pc, Solidarity-PBP 3pc, and Independents/Other 20pc.
As has been the case consistently in recent polling housing, the cost of living and immigration remain key issues for the electorate, with healthcare and the economy also important to voters.
Housing (21pc) remains the most important issue for voters when deciding who they should vote for, followed by the cost of living (18pc), immigration (13pc), the economy (12pc) and then healthcare (9pc).
The poll found that a very significant level of undecided voters, with a third of those responding still not completely sure who they will vote for, while 24% saying they currently have a preference but might change their mind, and 7% are considering a couple of candidates for a first preference vote.
The poll also showed that a majority of those who responded thought that Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín won last the televised leaders debate on RTÉ’s UpFront with Katie Hannon – with 24% choosing Mr Tóibín, followed by Micheál Martin (22pc), Simon Harris 20% and Mary Lou McDonald 19%.
And in another blow for Fine Gael a significant majority believe that 61% of respondents said that the party’s candidate in Louth , John MacGahon, should not be a candidate for the party while 14% said he should and 25% did not know.
A video that emerged showing Mr McGahon involved in an altercation, which had previously been described by Mr Harris as a “scuffle”, has continued to attract public attention. Fine Gael spokespersons have insisted that Mr McGahon was cleared of any wrongdoing by a criminal court, although the candidate was forced to pay Mr Breen White €38,000 following a High Court civil case.