Increased support for Sinn Féin in the Republic puts the party on course to be largest in the Dáil by a significant margin after the next general election.
With a maximum of 18 months before the south must go to the polls again, Sinn Féin has the support of 34 per cent of voters, according to the latest polling.
The figure represents a three point increase on June's corresponding survey and suggests Mary Lou McDonld's party has recovered from a fall-off in support during the first six months of this year.
The Irish Times/Ipsos poll, conducted between September 24-26, shows Fine Gael on an unchanged 18 per cent and Fianna Fáil on 20 per cent, down one point.
The Green Party, the smallest of the coalition government partners, is on 3 per cent, down one point compared to June.
Read more: Poll shows support for change to GFA power-sharing rules
Latest polling suggests next Dublin government will be Sinn Féin-Fianna Fáil coalition
In terms of the leaders satisfaction rating, Mrs McDonald stands on an unchanged 42 per cent with Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin also unchanged on 41 per cent.
Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar enjoys a satisfaction rating of 39 per cent among those surveyed, an increase of two points, with the Green's Eamon Ryan on 18 per cent, down two points.
Support for the Labour Party has fallen by one point to 3 per cent, while the Social Democrats saw a drop of two points to 2 per cent.
Independents and others are up three points to 20 per cent.
Of the 1200 adults surveyed, 23 per cent were undecided and excluded from the above figures.
The survey's margin of error is +/– 2.8 per cent.
