Fianna Fáil has opened up a 12-point lead on Fine Gael according to the latest opinion poll.

Published in the Sunday Times, it is the first since campaigning started in the General Election and is a timely boost for Micheal Martin - but disasterous for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

The last Sunday Times/Behaviour and Attitudes poll a month ago had both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail neck and neck on 27%.

However, this latest survey, carried out during the RIC commemoration controversy this month, shows a 12-point gap has opened up between the country's two biggest political parties.

According to the poll, Fianna Fáil now sits on 32%, up five, while Fine Gael has dropped seven points to 20%.

Sinn Féin, down one, is now only one point behind Fine Gael on 19%.

Meanwhile the Greens have gained one point and are now on 7% while Labour are down two to 4%.

Elsewhere, Solidarity/People Before Profit drop one to 2%, Renua are up one to 1% and the Social Democrats are unchanged at 1%.

In the poll, 923 people were asked their views January 2 and 14.