A new poll shows Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney are the public’s preferred choices to become the next leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael respectively.
The Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll also indicates there will be no 'Bacik Bounce’ for Labour, should Ivana Bacik succeed Alan Kelly as leader of the Labour Party.
The research shows strong public support for Mr McGrath to succeed Taoiseach Micheál Martin, 14 points ahead of Dublin Bay South TD Jim O’Callaghan.
Others in contention are former ministers Dara Calleary and Barry Cowen, Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien.
Three-horse race
After Mr Coveney, the public’s preferred choice to succeed Tánaiste Leo Varadkar is Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, followed by Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris.
Following Mr Kelly's resignation as Labour Party leader on Wednesday, 55 per cent of those polled said the change made no difference to whether or not they would vote for the party, while 21 per cent said it makes them less likely, and 17 per cent said they were more likely to do so.
The poll also shows Sinn Féin continues to be the most popular party in the State at 31 per cent, followed by Fine Gael on 21 per cent, narrowly ahead of Fianna Fáil on 20 per cent.
The Social Democrats are marginally up, reaching 6 per cent, while the Green Party remains on 4 per cent, alongside Solidarity-People Before Profit.
Labour is on 3 per cent, ahead of Aontú on 2 per cent, and the Independents and others are on 9 per cent.
