The Tánaiste has said he is not worried by a new poll which puts Fianna Fáil eight percentage points behind their Government colleagues Fine Gael.

The Irish Times poll records a huge surge in support for the Taoiseach Simon Harris – with his approval rating increasing 17 points to 55%.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s approval sits at 47% - eight behind the Taoiseach.

The poll records a drop in support for both Sinn Féin and its party leader Mary Lou McDonald who is down six points to 30%.

Poll

Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships in Laois this morning, Minister Martin played down the significance of the survey.

“I think you know my reaction to polls,” he said.

“In May, we were third in the polls and we ended up winning the most council seats.

“There’s a lot of work to be done and it's all there to play for; we're going to work very hard at constituency level and national level and then we'll do everything we can to outpoll the polls.”

Election

Asked if he was worried about the Taoiseach’s apparent popularity, he said “not necessarily to be frank” – noting that there are a “combination of factors involved” when predicting the outcome of any election.

“As I said in all the polling before the local elections, we were a distant third and we came out first in terms of seats in the local elections,” he said.

“We doubled our European seats from two to four only last June.

“It is all there to play for. I know from experience from the 2020 election that the dynamic of an election campaign will be crucial to how that election campaign develops.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, 9-09-2024. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach said the poll results will not change his thinking in terms of the general election date.

“Polls come and polls go,” he said. “I’m a new Taoiseach but I’m in politics long enough to not read too much into them.

“It is always better to be up than down and I am very grateful to the people of Ireland for giving me a chance, for giving me an opportunity, for being willing to listen and I hope in return for me to listen to them as I travel right across the country.

“There will be a general election in due course. My position on this hasn’t changed but right now I want the Government to get on with its work.”

Mr Harris has continually said he plans to take the Government to its full term, calling the election in February.

That is despite widespread speculation it will be held in November.