Some 44% percent of people would prefer to have a general election than see an extension of the confidence and supply arrangement that is keeping Fine Gael in power.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin met last night to discuss the arrangement – with negotiations to begin next week.
Fine Gael remains the country’s most popular party according to the Irish Times/ IPSOS poll, carried out at the end of last week.
It puts them up two points to 33% - with Fianna Fáil down 1 to 25% and Sinn Féin just behind on 24%.
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The Tánaiste will meet with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator today to discuss the state of play in Brexit talks.
Negotiations have stalled ahead of tomorrow's crucial EU Council meeting – with agreement on the Irish border seeming as distant as ever.
Simon Coveney will again stress that there can be no time limit on the backstop plan for preventing a return to a hard border.
Yesterday, the Taoiseach warned there may not be a deal this week – and said negotiations may run into December.
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President Michael D Higgins and businessman Seán Gallagher have come in for heavy criticism from the four other presidential candidates for not taking part in last night's first televised debate.
President Higgins last week committed to take part in two of the planned TV debates - not including last night’s.
Mr Gallagher has refused to take part in any debate the president does not attend.
The other four candidates debated topics including international affairs, Donald Trump and campaign funding.
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The US Secretary of State is arriving in Saudi Arabia to discuss the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi with the country’s King Salman.
Mr Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi crown prince - vanished after going to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.
Turkish authorities believe he was murdered.
There is speculation this morning that Saudi officials may be preparing to admit he was killed during a botched investigation – however the reports remain unconfirmed.
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Hundreds of people are expected to protest outside the Dáil later to demand immediate Government action on climate change.
A range of different action groups are calling for Ireland to honour its commitments on cutting carbon rates.
The country will be faced with stringent EU fines if it fails to significantly cut emissions in the coming years.
The protest comes in the wake of a new UN report warning that drastic action is needed in the next decade to prevent catastrophic, runaway climate change.
