There has been a major surge in support for the Anti-Austerity Alliance / People Before Profit, in the latest political opinion poll.
The Sunday Business Post poll was taken earlier this week, ahead of the Dáil vote on a proposed abortion referendum.
The poll of 1,000 voters was taken between Monday and Wednesday of this week - the days before, during and after the Dáil debate on a bill to call an abortion referendum.
That bill caused problems for the Government in how it responded. Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance backed a counter-motion, which saw an agreement not to pass any bills on abortion while the Citizens' Assembly is still considering the subject.
The profile, however, appears to have helped the Anti-Austerity Alliance / People Before Profit, who tabled the original bill.
AAA/PBP are up three points to 9% in this latest opinion poll, four points ahead of Labour and only four points behind Sinn Féin (who are down two) among left-leaning parties.
At the top Fianna Fáil's lead over Fine Gael now stands at the bare minimum of 1%, with Fianna Fáil down 1% to 26% and Fine Gael unchanged on 25% compared to the previous poll five weeks ago.
Independents are on 10%, with the Independent Alliance up two to 6%. The Social Democrats and Greens are each on 3%.
NEW Red C/SBP Poll:
FF 26 (-1)
FG 25 (nc)
SF 13 (-2)
Ind.10 (nc)
AAA-PBP 9 (+3)
Ind Alliance 6 (+2)
Lab 5 (-2)
SocDems 3 (-1)
Greens 3 (+1)— Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) October 29, 2016
