Sinn Féin still on top but not pulling away from Government

James Cox

Here, we take a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Sinn Féin out on top

A new poll shows support for Sinn Féin is holding steady, but the party is still struggling to pull ahead of the Government.

The latest Business Post/Red C poll shows it remains the most popular party, but momentum appears to have stalled.

Sinn Féin is up one point to 24 per cent.

Fine Gael is unchanged on 18, while Fianna Fáil slips back to 16.

Support for smaller parties is mixed, with the Social Democrats on 8 per cent, and both Green Party and Solidarity–People Before Profit on 3 per cent.

Independents are on 12 per cent.

Despite leading the poll, Sinn Féin’s support has remained largely unchanged for over a year.

Some critics of the party claim they have not presented enough of an alternative proposition to the current Coalition Government.

“They [Sinn Féin] can’t be all things to everyone and need to decide which side they’re on,” Labour TD Alan Kelly told the Irish Independent.

Modular units

Homeowners could earn €14,000 tax-free by renting out modular units in their back gardens.

The Sunday Independent reports the Government is considering the measure, as it moves to relax planning laws.

Housing Minister James Browne has already announced his intention to remove the need for planning permission for back garden cabins of up to 45 square metres.

There are warnings the move towards modular homes could put pressure on water and electricity systems.

Abroad

All eyes remain on the war in Iran.

US troops have arrived in the Middle East with rumours that US president Donald Trump is preparing a ground assault on Iran.

As the war in Iran threatens to imperil Trump's legacy, the political stakes also are rising for two of his top lieutenants: vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio.

The pair, widely viewed as potential successors to Trump, have been thrust into still-developing negotiations to end the war at a moment when ‌the Republican Party is already weighing its post-Trump future.

Vance has taken a cautious approach, reflecting his scepticism toward prolonged US military involvement, while Rubio has aligned himself closely with Trump’s hawkish stance and emerged as one of the administration’s most vocal defenders of the campaign.