MORE than twice as many voters in the Republic want Micheál Martin to become the next Taoiseach ahead of Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, the latest poll has indicated.
The Sunday Independent and Millward Brown survey, which interviewed 865 voters, showed that 39 per cent want to see the Fianna Fáil leader head a new government.
Caretaker taoiseach Enda Kenny, secured just 17 per cent.
It comes amidst wrangling over which parties will form the new government in the Republic, with no agreement reached more than a month after voters went to the polls on February 26.
Fine Gael had 50 TDs elected, just narrowly ahead of 44 Fianna Fáil TDs.
The findings show that the public mood has decisively turned against Mr Kenny as he continues to struggle to put together a Fine Gael-led minority government.
In perhaps the most surprising finding, just 12 per cent of respondents actually want Mr Kenny to continue as leader of Fine Gael, while 28 per cent support Leo Varadkar as the next leader of the party.
Around one in five surveyed would prefer a coalition between the two main parties with 14 per cent opting for a Fianna Fáil led minority government and eight per cent preferring an administration headed by Fine Gael.
Ironically, the majority of voters, 27 per cent, want to see a new election called, while one in ten say they would change their vote if another race is declared.
The Dáil will convene again a week on Wednesday - almost seven weeks after voters went to the polls.
Micheal Martin refuses to say how many votes would be enough to run a minority Government with any legitimacy or authority
— Mary Regan (@MaryERegan) March 31, 2016
The Sunday Independent reported yesterday that Fianna Fáil may consider a "partnership" government with Fine Gael if Mr Kenny stood down as leader and the party and independent TDs all formed part of the coalition.
Mr Martin told the Sunday Independent that Fine Gael was in "no position to be dictating to anybody - they need to get that."
