The PDs have now remained at that level of support in three consecutive polls since March 2005.

The party is particularly strong in its Dublin heartland with 7%. With that level of support . . . also equivalent to its 2002 vote . . . the party has a good chance of holding its four seats in the capital.

Aside from older voters over the age of 65 . . . where the party's support base is at 1% . . . the PDs' vote is spread well across the age profiles. Unsurprisingly, the AB social class, where it has a vote of 10%, is the party's bedrock. The party is weakest in Munster . . . once seen as Progressive Democrats heartland . . . with just 1% of the vote in that province.

The poll was taken before Mary Harney's shock resignation, and it showed a further decline in her oncehigh satisfaction ratings, of five percentage points to 39%. The health minister's dissatisfaction rating rose to 51%, by far the highest of all the party leaders.