Labour has dropped four points in the latest opinion poll.
The Sunday Times/Behaviour and Attitudes Poll was conducted in the run-up to this week's Meath East by-election.
Labour's poor showing in Meath East forced the Tanaiste into defending his position as party leader.
Eamon Gilmore described it as a "bad result" which wouldn't be ignored.
This latest opinion poll - conducted for tomorrow's Sunday Times - is also likely to grab Mr Gilmore's attention.
It shows his party's rating down four points to just seven which leaves it second from bottom in the popularity stakes.
Independents were the big winners. They gained seven points to move to within just two of Fine Gael who topped the poll with a satisfaction rating of 27.
Fianna Fáil's recent surge suffered a minor setback after dropping one point to 23, while Sinn Féin are down four to sit in fourth spot on 15.
