Fine Gael has retained its position as the most popular party in a new opinion poll, with Fianna Fáil following closely behind.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s party is on 27 per cent, with Micheál Martin’s party following two percentage points behind on 25 per cent in the poll by Red C for bookmaker Paddy Power, the first since the formation of the Government.

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil remain unchanged since the last comparable poll. Sinn Féin is on 16 per cent, down one; Labour is up one to five per cent; the Anti-Austerity Alliance- People Before Profit is up two to 6 per cent; the Independent Alliance, five members of which entered government, is down two to 3 per cent; other Independents remain static on 9 per cent, while the Social Democrats and the Greens are both up one to 4 per cent.

Former TD Lucinda Creighton’s Renua Ireland is down one to 1 per cent. The poll was taken by telephone between May 9th and 11th and has a sample size of 1,015.

At 52 per cent, just over half of respondents do not have confidence in the government to run the country, with 45 per cent of the view that the Fine Gael-Independent minority government will not last more than one year.

Step down

A quarter of respondents believe Mr Kenny should step down as Fine Gael leader immediately, including 18 per cent of Fine Gael voters. A further 18 per cent say Mr Kenny should resign in the next one to two years, while 25 per cent say he should stay for a full term.

Of those who could succeed Mr Kenny, Leo Varadkar is the most popular choice, on 32 per cent. The Minister for Social Protection is followed by Minister for Housing Simon Coveney on 25 per cent, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald on 14 per cent, Minister for Health Simon Harris on 7 per cent and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe on 4 per cent. Outspoken Waterford TD John Deasy is on 1 per cent.

On Irish Water, 61 per cent of respondents say it should be abolished while 71 per cent say those who have paid water charges should be refunded. A third, 34 per cent, say those who haven’t paid should be pursued through the courts for payment.

However, 59 per cent say they would pay charges if asked to do so again. This is broadly in line with last published compliance rate for Irish Water, although it is understood this has dropped off because of recent uncertainty about charging.