The Government's satisfaction rating has dropped sharply according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll which also shows a decline in support for both Coalition parties.

Satisfaction with the Government has dropped 14 points to 23 per cent since the last poll in October while Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore are also down.

The poll was conducted on Monday and Tuesday at the height of the controversy over the planned introduction of water meters.

When people were asked who they would vote for if a general election were held tomorrow, the figures for party support - when undecided voters are excluded - compared with the last Irish Times poll were:

Fine Gael, 33 per cent (down three points); Labour, 13 per cent (down six points); Fianna Fáil, 14 per cent (down one point); Sinn Féin, 21 per cent (up six points); Green Party, 2 per cent (up one point); and Independents/ Others, 17 per cent (up three points).

The survey was undertaken last Monday and Tuesday among a representative sample of 1,000 voters aged 18 and over, in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 per cent.

The Government's satisfaction rating is down 14 points from 37 per cent to 23 per cent.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny's rating has dropped by ten points from 52 per cent to 42 per cent.

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore has seen a seen a steep drop of 14 points in his rating over the past six months from 41 per cent to 27 per cent.

Satisfaction with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is down from 32 per cent to 29 per cent.

Micheál Martin is down from 29 per cent to 24 per cent.