Bad news for Fine Gael and Independents as Fianna Fáil support levels soar to 8-year high

Support for Fianna Fáil has risen by a massive nine points, according to a poll taken by the Irish Times.

Support for the party has soared to 33%, which is the highest level of favour that the party has enjoyed since 2008, a year after they were ousted from government after a disastrous spell under Brian Cowen.

The figures show that support for Fianna Fáil has dropped slightly, as they now have a 24% approval rate, while Sinn Féin's has risen by two points to 16%. The Independents have taken the biggest hit in the latest poll, fallen by eight points to a 22% approval rate.

The poll also outlines how Micheal Martin is now the country's most popular political party leader, as his satisfaction rating has gone up to 43%, while An Taoiseach Enda Kenny continues to take the hit after a poor election campaign in charge of Fine Gael.

The poll results will come as bad news to Mr Kenny and Fine Gael in the aftermath of his leadership being questioned by members of his own party following the vote on abortion yesterday, as the Taoiseach allowed Indpendent TDs to vote against the government stance on the bill.