The combined support for the two main political parties now stands at 61% according to the latest opinion poll out today.

A Red C / Sunday Business Post survey shows Fianna Fáil support up 3 points to 29%.

That is just 3 points behind Fine Gael on 32%.

Sinn Féin support is down one to 14%, Independent support is up one at 10% and Labour are unchanged at 6%.

It means Fianna Fáil is now enjoying its highest level in almost two years off the back of its move to block the sale of distressed mortgages to unregulated vulture funds.

Michael Brennan, political editor with the Sunday Business Post said the findings show that “the centre certainly is holding” with the two main parties enjoying much higher support than they did during the recession.

He said the apparent improvement in the economy is helping the bigger parties.

“The smaller parties are being squeezed,” he said.

“It is a bad poll for Sinn Féin; they have a new leader over the past three weeks Mary Lou McDonad but they are actually down by one point to 14%.

“A huge drop in support for the Solidarity /People Before Profit party – they would have been around the sort-of 5% or 4% level in recent times but they have dropped in this poll from 3% to 1%.”