The latest Sunday Business Pos t/Red C poll shows that the government has taken a hit in the wake of hospital over-crowding controversies and industrial relations rows.

Fine Gael’s support level has dropped by one point to 24 per cent while the Independent Alliance has dropped by one point to 3 per cent.

The big winner is Fianna Fáil which is up by three points to 27 per cent, while Independents are up by two points to 14 per cent. Sinn Féin, which is currently mulling over the possibility of serving in coalition with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil even if it is the smaller party, is down by two points to 14 per cent.

Labour is unchanged on 5 per cent, while the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the People Before Profit Alliance are down by one point to 4 per cent. The Green Party are up one point to 4 per cent, while the Social Democrats are unchanged on 4 per cent. Renua is up by one point to 1 per cent.

The poll of over 1,000 voters was taken between last Monday and Friday. It will increase the pressure on Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who was forced to put out a statement earlier today to rule out going into coalition with Sinn Féin in future. He had earlier declined to do so definitively during a media briefing last Thursday. The poll results are in comparison to the previous Sunday Business Post/Red C poll published on Sunday November 25 last.

For a full breakdown and analysis see tomorrow's Sunday Business Post.

How they stand

Fianna Fáil 27% (+3)

Fine Gael 24% (–1)

Sinn Féin 14% (-2)

Independents 14% (+2)

Labour 5% (no change)

AAA-PBP 4% (-1)

Social Democrats 4% (no change)

Green Party 4% (+1)

Independent Alliance 3% (-1)

Renua 1% (+1)

Total: 100