A new coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and possibly the Greens has emerged as the favoured option for Government after the election, according to a new opinion poll.
The tns/MRBI poll in tomorrow's Irish Times shows the Rainbow Coalition 1% ahead of the present Fianna Fáil/PD Government.
1,000 voters around the country were asked which coalition they would like to see in power after the next election - Fianna Fáil & the PDs, or Fine Gael, Labour and possibly the Greens.
35% opted for the current coalition, down seven points on the previous comparable poll in November, while 36% said they favoured the Rainbow alternative, up five points since November.
14% said they favoured neither of the options on offer, while 15% said they did not know who they wanted to see in Government.
The figures cannot be compared to the last Irish Times poll, in January, because then a third option, of a Fianna Fáil/Labour coalition, was put to respondents, and chosen by 12% of them.
The latest results will be seen as confirmation that the rise in support for Fine Gael reported in the first part of the poll, indicated a desire to see a change of Government.
