Fine Gael is just 1% behind Sinn Fein in the Republic of Ireland, a new opinion poll finds

The Red C poll for the Business Post indicates that after dominating polls in recent years, Sinn Fein's support has dropped to 23%.

It comes shortly before voters will be called to go to the polls in both European and local government elections. The next general election must take place before March 22 next year.

The latest poll suggests Sinn Fein's support dropped by four percentage points since last month, and has fallen from 36% in May 2022.

Meanwhile Fine Gael's support appears to be growing since electing Simon Harris as leader in March following the resignation of Leo Varadkar.

The latest poll has put Fine Gael support at 22%, up by two percentage points from last month, and up by four points in total since Mr Harris took the reins.

Support for Fianna Fail was put at 15%, and support for independent candidates at 19%.

Support for the Social Democrats was put at 5%, the Green Party and Labour both at 4% and People Before Profit-Solidarity and Aontu both at 3%.

The Red C poll is described as based on interviews with a random sample of 1,021 adults online between May 17-22.

The Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said on Friday that she believes her party’s 335 local election candidates can each claim a seat in next month’s elections.

Ms McDonald said the party is “really stretching” itself in running so many candidates but said the size of the team reflects the party’s ambitions.

Sinn Fein are running many more candidates than most of the other parties in the local elections.

Launching the party’s manifesto in Monaghan on Friday, Ms McDonald said the local and European elections are the first step in getting “this disastrous government out of office”.

“The local election, the European election, doesn’t change the government, people know that.

"But it can be, and I believe that it must be, the first step in the change that is long overdue,” she told party delegates.