As the general election campaign enters its first full week, parties have been reacting to the first opinion poll results since the vote was called.
The Sunday Times / Behaviour and Attitudes published over the weekend saw Fine Gael’s popularity fall by 7%.
Fianna Fáil, meanwhile, was up 5% - giving them a 12-point lead.
The poll was carried between January 2nd and 14th – before the campaign got underway and at the height of the controversy over the proposed RIC commemoration and record hospital overcrowding figures.
The poll, carried out using face-to-face interviews among less than 1,000 people, had a margin for error of 3.3%.
The Taoiseach said he isn't blaming anyone for his party's slump seven-point slump, and added that there will be other polls.
Leo Varadkar argued: "I don't think we should ever read too much into any one opinion poll.
"There'll be plenty of opinion polls during the course of this campaign - they'll go up and down, and they'll narrow and their widen.
"I'm certainly not dismissing the poll for a second - I think Fine Gael is going into this election behind... we are playing catch-up."
"Attack, attack, attack"
Mr Varadkar also today continued to sharply criticise the main opposition party - claiming that twice "in my lifetime alone... within a few years... [Fianna Fáil] wrecked the economy... and we know what that leads to".
Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin said he's not surprised by Fine Gael's approach so far - describing it as "attack, attack, attack".
He argued: "That is consistent with what Fine Gael said they would do - they said they were going on a negative campaign from the outset.
"I think people want solutions-driven approaches in elections... they want solutions to the problems they are facing."
People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett - who this morning attended a protest coinciding with the start of building works at a controversial co-living development in Dublin - insisted the election isn't just a two-horse race.
.@RBoydBarrett holds a protest at the new Bartra co-living development in Dun Laoghaire which began construction this morning. 208 bedrooms with fold-down beds and communal living and kitchen areas. pic.twitter.com/CnWrQ9e7vR
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) January 20, 2020
He argued: "The more historically important thing that comes out of the poll is that just under half of the population are looking for alternatives to the two big parties.
"That is the space that we are contesting - obviously there are others contesting it as well, but that gives me great optimism for the future of this country."
Debate
Meanwhile, it has been announced today that the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will take part in the general election's first televised head-to-head debate this Wednesday night.
Pat Kenny will moderate the debate between Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin on Virgin Media Television.
A multi-party leaders' debate will also take place on Thursday, January 30th.
RTÉ will also be hosting two TV debates, to be aired over the course of the next three weeks.
Today has also seen other parties continuing their campaigning and canvassing.
Sinn Féin has been outlining housing proposals, while Labour is discussing equality in the workplace.
The Social Democrats are focusing on biodiversity today, while Aontú officially launched its first general election campaign this morning.
