The latest political opinion poll has seen a sharp rise in support for Sinn Féin.
The second poll to be published since the general election was called puts Fianna Fáil two points ahead of Fine Gael.
The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll revealed that 25% of voters would choose Fianna Fáil, compared to 23% for Fine Gael.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has registered a big seven-point jump to 21%.
The figures mark a six-point drop for Fine Gael compared to the most recent Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll last October, with no change in popularity for Fianna Fáil.
This is the first time in three years it has been ahead of Fine Gael.
There was no change for the Green Party (8%), while Labour is down one point to 5%.
Support for Independents and small parties is also unchanged at 18%.
Meanwhile, in terms of support for party leaders, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's approval stands at 27%, falling from 42% in October.
Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin has also had a drop in the ratings to 33% from 38%.
Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin was the only party leader to see her approval ratings rise, from 30% to 34%.
A face-to-face survey of 1,200 people was taken on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week, and the poll's margin of error is 2.8%.
Contrast
Tonight's findings contrast with yesterday's Sunday Times Behaviour and Attitudes poll which handed Fianna Fáil a 12-point lead over Fine Gael.
However, this is the second poll in as many days showing Fianna Fáil in the lead.
That poll was carried out before the campaign got underway and at the height of the controversy over the planned RIC commemoration.
It found that Fine Gael’s popularity fell by seven to 20% while Fianna Fáil was up five to 32%.
Sinn Féin was on 19%, with the poll having a margin for error is 3.3%.
