The Taoiseach has dismissed any suggestion he could push for an earlier general election on the back of favourable opinion poll numbers.
Simon Harris, who has previously made clear he would like to see the Government run full term into next year, said his position in relation to the timing of an election has not changed.
He was asked whether the results of the latest Ireland Thinks poll for the Sunday Independent had made him think about calling an early election.
The poll indicated Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are now neck and neck on 22 per cent – with Mr Harris’ party experiencing a three point increase in support in the last month, compared to a sharp seven point drop for Sinn Féin.
Fianna Fáil was up one point to 17 per cent.
The largest grouping was represented by independents – on 23 per cent.
Mr Harris’ personal approval rating increased to 48 per cent – level with Fianna Fáil leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin – while Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald’s approval rating dropped four points to 36 per cent.
The poll came ahead of Friday’s European and local council elections in Ireland.
There will also be a vote for the first directly elected mayor of Limerick.
Friday will be the first time Ireland goes to the polls in four years.
Sunday’s opinion poll asked voters how they would vote in a general election if it was called tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters in Co Mayo, Mr Harris said he was advising his party faithful not to focus on opinion poll results and instead concentrate on the real elections.
“Of course, it’s always better to be up in a poll than down in a poll, but there’s a poll taking place on Friday,” he said.
“The only thing I want Fine Gael members and supporters to do in relation to the poll this weekend is not pay any attention and keep the eye on the fact that polls will open on Friday and there’ll be an opportunity for people to go out and vote in the local elections and in the European elections right across the country.”
In relation to the likely date of a general election, he added: “The position in relation to the timing of the next general election certainly hasn’t changed.
“This Government has a lot of work to do.
“I’ve tried to hit the ground running in terms of making progress on a number of issues. When it comes to housing, we’re now seeing 350 homes every working day be built in Ireland. We’ve managed over the last couple of weeks to take a number of steps including trying to improve services for children with a disability with additional investment into assessments of need.
“We’ve managed to make some progress on issues that people have been talking about for a long time in terms of recognising the state of Palestine.
“We’ve also managed to take I think a more balanced approach to migration in terms of taking a number of important decisions as well.
“We have a lot of work to do and I’m fully focused on it.”
Asked to respond to Sinn Féin’s apparent slide in the polls, Mr Harris claimed the electorate was seeing through the party’s “noise” and “negativity”.
He also accused the main opposition party of consistently failing to explain to voters how they would achieve their own plans.
“They have one gear Sinn Féin – come in, shout and roar, that’s not going to help fix the challenges in our country,” he added.
Mr Harris faced disruption while canvassing in Co Mayo on Sunday.
He was challenged by the family of Enoch Burke, the secondary school teacher currently in prison for contempt of court for refusing to stay away from the school where he worked.
Mr Burke was dismissed by the school amid a row linked to a request for him to use they/them pronouns when addressing a student.
The Taoiseach also faced barracking from protesters in Castlebar about state provision of asylum seeker accommodation in the county.
Mr Harris dismissed the incidents when asked by reporters.
“Protest has an important role to play in any democracy,” he said.
“I’ve be protested at and I have been on protests during my political during career.
“But there’s a difference between protest and an attempt to, I suppose, significantly disrupt.
“But I think as people know about me, it takes an awful lot to disrupt my energy, and I certainly enjoyed continuing to talk to people in Castlebar, calling into cafes, calling into shops, getting out the message.
“And, look, if people want to people want to participate in democracy they’re very welcome, we have an election on Friday.”
