Green Party support plunges to 4pc as Fine Gael also takes a hit of two points

GREEN Party support has plummeted dramatically since entering into government, according to a new opinion poll.

Support for Eamon Ryan’s party has dropped a massive eight points and it is now at just 4pc.

Mr Ryan’s personal satisfaction rating has also fallen significantly, by 13 points to 27pc.

This is a huge blow for the party which has struggled to make any impact in government and has been engulfed in controversy over ministerial pay and the hiring of political advisers.

Last week, Green senator Róisín Garvey, who was appointed to the Seanad by Mr Ryan, sparked controversy for advising party activists not to use “big vocabulary” when speaking to rural voters and members of the Travelling community. “We really have to choose our words,” she said.

She later apologised for any offence caused by the comments

Meanwhile, support for Fianna Fáil has risen three points to 17pc while Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s personal rating has dropped seven points to 39pc

Fine Gael has dropped two points to 35pc but it is still the most popular party in the county.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s rating as party leader has dropped 10 points but he is still the country’s most popular leader at 65pc.

Sinn Féin, the main opposition party, is up four points to 29pc but Mary Lou McDonald’s personal rating has dropped three points to 46pc.

Solidarity-People Before Profit is at 1pc, Social Democrats at 2pc, the Labour Party is at 4pc, and Independents are at 8pc.

The Irish Times/ Ipsos MRBI poll of 1,200 respondents was taken between October 3 and 6.