A new opinion poll shows Sinn Féin is on course to make massive gains in the city and county council elections.
The Behaviour and Attitudes poll for the Sunday Times shows the party on 17 per cent of the vote, more than double its vote five years ago.
The poll of 1,545 voters was conducted between May 3 and 14 and also shows Sinn Fein set to win seats in all three European constituencies.
The Sunday Times poll is the first to ask voters who they'll support in the local elections, and not just the European poll.
And it shows Sinn Féin set to make massive gains, polling on 17 per cent, up from just 7 per cent in the same elections five years ago.
Their surge comes at the expense of Labour, which goes from 15 per cent down to 7.
Fine Gael stand at 25, down 7 from last time, while Fianna Fail is down three to 22. Independents and others account for 30 per cent, up 13.
The poll is also promising for Sinn Féin when it comes to the European elections.
Lynn Boylan tops the poll in Dublin, on 19, ahead of Fine Gael's Brian Hayes on 16, Fianna Fáil's Mary Fitzpatrick on 12. Both the Greens' Eamon Ryan, and independent Nessa Childers, are on 11.
In Midlands North West, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness has 21, with Luke Ming Flanagan on 17, and Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy on 14.
Marian Harkin is on 12, and faces a fight with the Fianna Fáíl duo of Thomas Byrne and Pat the Cope Gallagher on 9 and 8 respectively.
In Ireland South, Brian Crowley's 36 takes a seat for Fianna Fáil, with Fine Gael's Sean Kelly on 17 and Liadh Ni Riada of Sinn Féin on 14.
The final seat looks to be a fight between Fine Gael's pair of Deirdre Clune on 10, and Simon Harris on 8 with Phil Prendergast well back on 5.
